The film can be roughly divided into three parts.
The first part takes place in New York and begins with a "monologue" written to each other, showing the daily life of the two when their marriage was on the verge of breaking down, and eliciting the core contradiction of the marriage: In this relationship, Charlie's career The pursuit of personal development always overrides Nicole's pursuit of personal development. Under the circumstance that the contradiction cannot be resolved or eased, "divorce" has officially become an issue on the agenda.
There is no right or wrong in intimacy in and of itself. A more appropriate description is that "very suitable", "more suitable", "not suitable", "inappropriate" at this time and then, the lover's clutch is generally related to this; however, we are discussing here not only Intimacy, as well as marriages that are blessed by the marriage system, or even "kidnapped". I have heard this feeling more than once in daily life: marriage is obviously "should be a matter of two people", but it is inevitably mixed with many other people and things.
The myths about "marriage" instilled in people by mainstream ideology are often the stability, sweetness, and happiness that marriage brings; however, marriage is ultimately carried by specific people, and as long as it is different people, there will be different interests and motives. A marriage guaranteed by morality and law is not only a romantic spiritual relationship, but also a material relationship that requires cooperation (both morality and law are products of ownership). When Nicole realized that the marriage could not meet her expectations on the latter, a rift was inevitable.
The second part, and then the third part, takes place mainly in New York. Nicole returned to LA for work and Charlie for divorce. On the issue of divorce, the two did not expect "to make the situation so ugly", but with the intervention of lawyers, issues such as property and custody rights were put on the negotiating table very straightforwardly, and the situation gradually became tense. . Several lawyers also have their own characteristics: Nora is shrewd and strong, able to bend and stretch on various issues; Bert, who has been through three marriages, urged Charlie to solve the problem through mediation; Jay, who Nora regards as a tough guy, is sharp and aggressive in court. The situation was stalemate for a while.
The duty of a lawyer is to strive for the greatest interests for the client, so as to obtain the most generous remuneration, and in the love-hate entanglement of both parties, he is essentially an "outsider". This is on full display in Jay, who Charlie used to replace Bert. Somewhat ironically, Jay "quickly lost interest in the case" after Nicole and Charlie finally decided to compromise on both sides to reach a deal.
The climax of the whole movie is the quarrel that took place at Charlie's residence: the two came with the expectation of easing the situation, but the atmosphere gradually became tense and restless with your words, which eventually led to the most intense film. conflict. Nicole and Charlie counted each other's flaws without hesitation, and then used harsh language to make personal attacks. Charlie, who was furious, hammered a big hole in the wall, and then his emotions suddenly collapsed. However, the latter two quickly dropped their stances—because they both realized that the endless tug-of-war would do nothing to reach an agreement, and it was further consuming basic friendliness and trust. So after that, the divorce situation took a turn: both sides made concessions and finally formally signed their names on the agreement.
The third part is the end of the story. Nicole has a new career and a new relationship; Charlie commutes between New York and LA while continuing her troupe work, and accepts a long-term job in LA. Nicole was surrounded by relatives and friends, and the previous melancholy and troubles were swept away, and everyone was full of laughter; Charlie, as usual, sat with his colleagues in the troupe and sang about his anguish and loss.
But even as the marriage came to an end, the "child" kept the two connected: Henry read the "monologue to each other" that Nicole didn't want to read at the beginning of the story. Whether for Charlie, who is trying to control his emotions in the close-up camera, or Nicole, who silently watches his ex-husband and son in the blurred background, the joys and pains of the past are equally unforgettable, but what the two of them need at this time is to face their own new life. The shot of Charlie taking Henry to the road in the distance also tells the audience: the old story is over, and the new one begins.
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