Marriage Story is a drama film written and directed by filmmaker Noah Baumbach. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2019 and was later released in theatres and on digital streaming platforms. Despite the title, it explores the events leading up to the end of a marital relationship. The film stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver as a couple going through a divorce and the aftermath of their disunion. Known for his strong dialogues in films, Baumbach turns the script into a powerful tool to convey the action through talk.
It follows Charlie and Nicole as they navigate the strain in their marriage that forces them to seek a divorce. Both are creatives with Charlie pursuing his career as a theatre director in New York and Nicole jumpstarting her acting career on screen in Hollywood. They have to live apart while co-parenting their only child while finalizing their divorce proceedings. Though they wish to have an amicable divorce, the lawyers pit them against each other by manipulating their situation. This leads to the uncovering of infidelity and unresolved issues within the marriage that open old wounds. The story highlights the impermanence and chaos of love yet the significance of family and memories.
Baumbach draws from his own experiences of going through a divorce that took a long time to finalize. Akin to his film The Squid and the Whale—where Baumbach incorporates a divorce story from the child's perspective—he highlights the pitfalls of separation, especially as parents. The film was nominated for several categories at the 92nd Academy Awards winning Best Supporting Actress for Laura Dern’s performance.
