Marriage Story
A tenderly unsparing portrait of two theater artists navigating divorce, custody, and the stubborn persistence of family love.
Overview
A poignant exploration of love and loss, where a marriage unravels but the family remains intertwined.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- scalding
- tender
- reflective evening
- couples discussion
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Noah Baumbach’s compassionate, sharply observed screenplay and the deeply nuanced performances of Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Charlie and Nicole’s competing accounts of their marriage and separation receive sustained, sympathetic attention.
Lawyers Nora Fanshaw and Jay Marotta turn the couple’s separation into an increasingly adversarial custody and legal process.
Charlie directs theater while the film builds toward highly performative confrontations and emotionally staged domestic moments.
Nicole’s move to Los Angeles conflicts with Charlie’s New York theater life, making place central to their separation.
Films like Marriage Story, and why
Kramer vs. Kramer
emotionally incisive divorce drama centered on marriage, parenthood, and the legal pressures reshaping intimate relationships
Two for the Road
bittersweet relationship drama combining romantic tenderness, conflict, and emotionally candid performances
Blue Valentine
naturalistic, deeply felt examination of romantic breakdown through sharp dialogue and complicated adult characters
The Squid and the Whale
witty and painful contemporary relationship drama built around mutual perspectives and emotional ambiguity
Movie Details
- Director
- Noah Baumbach
- Release Date
- 2019-09-28
- Runtime
- 137 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (7572)
Cast
- Adam Driver
- Scarlett Johansson
- Laura Dern
- Alan Alda
- Ray Liotta
- Julie Hagerty
- Merritt Wever
- Azhy Robertson
- Wallace Shawn
- Martha Kelly
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Marriage Story about?
- A tenderly unsparing portrait of two theater artists navigating divorce, custody, and the stubborn persistence of family love.
- What is Marriage Story like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Marriage Story as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Marriage Story violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Marriage Story.
- What did critics think of Marriage Story?
- Critics broadly praised Noah Baumbach’s compassionate, sharply observed screenplay and the deeply nuanced performances of Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver.
- Which films are like Marriage Story?
- Films with a similar feel include Kramer vs. Kramer, Two for the Road, Blue Valentine, and The Squid and the Whale.
- How long is Marriage Story?
- Marriage Story runs 137 minutes.
- Where can I watch Marriage Story?
- In United States, Marriage Story streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
