The Wife

— I was happy to finally see a film for adults after a summer of films, if not marketed toward adolescents, mostly geared toward anyone and everyone. “The Wife” is a slow, intimate reveal of the history and workings of a 40-year marriage that has reached an achievement point. Joe Castleman is awarded the Nobel Prize for literature and he, his wife Joan, and their son head to Stockholm to receive the prize. A series of flashbacks as the trip unfolds gives us a glimpse into the bargains and deceptions made by the couple over the years as they patched together a strained relationship, a family, and a life that all looked pretty good on the surface. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s a fine film made great by Glenn Close's measured performance where pursed lips, a careful glance, or a turn of her head are all it takes to let you know what’s she’s feeling and to convey the emotional toll of years of concessions. I recommend it!

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[2017. 100 min. Directed by Bjorn Runge. Starring Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Slater, and Max Irons.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-wife-2018