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The Wife (2017)
The Wife (2017) could be described as just another midlife self-discovery film, although with more originality and powerful acting than many. It can also be seen as a feminist essay about being true to oneself, a story of fabricated prestige in the literary world, and a tale of arrogant deceit that holds a marriage together. It’s bigger triumph, however, lies in the way it blends all of these into a tense black comedic drama based on the extraordinary acting power of the duo Glen Close and Jonathan Price.
The core plot is simple: a long-term marriage full of simmering tensions is brought to the boil when the husband wins the Nobel Prize for literature while ‘the wife’ looks on in smiling silence. Professor Joe Castleman has become accustomed to being feted for his literary greatness and has even been described as a reinventor of the novel form. The opening scenes are emotionally supercharged: a phone call from Norway in the middle of the night, joyful close-ups on Joe and Joan hearing the news, each processing it in completely different terms. Joe’s arrogance is elevated by the news, while Joan’s tolerance for his deceit, philandering, and belittling her as ‘the wife who does not write’ inches closer to breaking point.
The news of his Prize triggers interest from a persistent freelance biographer who begins asking questions about Joan’s own early writing career and the authorship of her husband’s work. Marital tensions and professional conceits intersect and escalate as they approach the Nobel Prize ceremony, with their secret dangerously close to becoming public. Framed as a domestic relationships drama, the narrative moves slowly in a dialogue-rich film that records the personal journey of two intelligent and articulate people travelling in different directions.
So much can be conveyed through a husband’s use of the phrase “The Wife”. It might be a derisive avatar or a cartoonish nag, but not a respected equal. It is at this level that The Wife exerts its power to show how patriarchy can entrap a willing victim until its innate fragility is exposed. Yet a simple exit from the marriage is not easy, as Joe and Joan really love each other. Too many dramas immerse such themes in clichés and hyperbole, but a tour de force performance by Glen Close takes this one to a different level.
Excellent filming, a clever script, uncluttered editing, and a nomination-worthy performance by Close gives this film a clear voice for the demographic it addresses. The feminist discourse for older women speaks in a different filmic language than for others, so this is not a film for all. But its laser-precise message is targeted at everyone.
2018 Sydney Film Festival
Director: Bjórn Runge
Stars: Clen Close, Jonathan Price, Max Irons, Elizabeth McGovern
CineMuseFilms 
Excited to see this one!
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I hope this particular film makes to general release. It sounds like my type of film!
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You had me early on: “the way it blends all of these into a tense black comedic drama based on the extraordinary acting power of the duo Glen Close and Jonathan Price.” And also, I’m a bit of a Glen Close groupie.
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She deserves a nomination for this one.
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At last I’ve seen the film. I’ve been waiting a long time! I knew it was ‘my kind of film’ by your description and I wasn’t disappointed. If possible, I thought it went even further than my expectation!
Perhaps the best decision made by director Björn Runge was in his choice of cast. All three roles were cast perfectly and the acting flawless. One sour note and the film would’ve been doomed.
I loved the interplay of characters and this was made possible by a brilliant script. Every word was spot-on and every nuance played with expertise.
If I had to nominate a theme I’d call it a tragedy and Joe’s downfall being ‘living a lie.’ I see this as the root cause of his infidelities and his ultimate death. You can’t profit from a lie and live in your own skin, as far as I understand it. Her lie was in a different category as eventually the truth would out.
4.5 stars from me! Thanks CineMuse.
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Glad you like it Anita. There is truth in the old saying “behind every great man is an even greater woman”.
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Hi. I want to ‘like’ your comment but have trouble getting in. Maybe after leaving a reply? I’ll try.
Yes, I agree. Both actors played their parts to perfection as did Christian Slater and Max Irons.(Could he be the son of Jeremy?)This was such a great in-depth character study that it’s hard to find any fault.
Joan knowingly colluded in the deception and it suited her needs at the time as she was less confident. A pity that she did not take the challenges in her own right because she would have grown as a person.
I thought Joe was an extremely interesting and complex character and Jonathan Price did as good a job as Glen Close. You can probably tell, I was greatly enamoured with this film. 🙂 Exactly the type of film I like, ie one about the vagaries of people.
Thanks for your usual high caliber review.
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Oh, one last point; I didn’t see it as a comedy though I recall laughing a couple of times.
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