This was one of the most important films of last year and it was made by Noah Baumbach whose work we always like. The title is pure bait however as this film is all about divorce but it is probably one of the best films about divorce that has ever been made. I do feel that it being about people in the entertainment world makes it less relatable for ordinary people and certainly most people would not be able to afford neither the lawyers nor the lifestyle changes that the characters here go through as part of their separation.

The marriage between theatre director Charlie Barber and actress Nicole is falling apart and mediation fails. Nicole accepts a job starring as the lead in a new television show in Los Angeles, leaving Charlie’s New York-based troupe, and takes their son Henry with her. The couple seemingly agrees to an amicable divorce without involving lawyers but when Charlie arrives in Los Angeles for a visit, he is surprised to be served with divorce paper prepared by a high-powered lawyer. Charlie is eventually pressured to hire a lawyer himself though he rejects an expensive, aggressive one who advises him to employ dirty tricks. As months pass, Nicole’s television show becomes successful and Henry becomes more used to living in Los Angeles. Charlie wins a MacArthur Fellowship grant but is forced to use the money on lawyers as he insists that they have always been a New York family and that Henry should stay there.

As with Baumbach’s other works, this film absolutely shines in its depiction of the small, authentic moments in the lives of the characters here. Even as the battle between the lawyers grows ever more acrimonious with low blows flying about like Nicole’s supposed alcoholism and Charlie having sex once with a member of his staff, the relationship with Charlie and Nicole remains mostly amicable. Charlie maintains friendly relations with Nicole’s family and from their interactions it is evident that they still care strongly for each other. Yet it is equally clear that their paths in life has diverged. Nicole has realized that she can flourish without him and Charlie is too stubborn to change his existing lifestyle to accommodate Nicole’s new ambitions in life. This prevents the two from reaching any kind of reconciliation even as the escalating fight costs both of them more and more money and starts to intrude into Henry’s life. It’s a powerfully real depiction of the complex emotions and conflicts that go into all marriages and that’s why this film is so highly regarded.

As I noted however this is the story of two quite successful thespians. The financial hardship and anguish that they experience are of course very real to them, yet most of us will boggle at the amounts of money they are spending on lawyers and how Charlie is able to afford regular flights between New York and Los Angeles to see Henry and keep up two separate residences for the sake of appearances. Baumbach likes to cite Woody Allen as a primary influence on his own work so it seems only appropriate that both make films that are essentially about rich people problems. That is even more true for this title than Baumbach’s other films as both of the characters here are so financially well off that a divorce is no threat to their livelihoods whatsoever and it’s so straightforward for them to just set up a new home elsewhere. This is not true for many people who have to put up with bad marriages simply because they can’t afford not to. This film feels so authentic obviously because Baumbach wrote it based on his own experiences and he is absolutely right to do so. But as a member of the audience, I find it impossible to feel too sorry for these two people and when Charlie has a complete breakdown in front of Nicole, I feel like I ought to shake his shoulder and tell him that there are people way worse off than him.

On a final note, it is remarkable that all of the conflict effectively stems from Charlie’s inability to see Henry as staying anywhere other than New York. I suppose it is a truism that it sometimes takes a ridiculous amount of effort and money spent to make someone realize something that is right in front of them all along. In any case, this truly is a fantastic film about how a marriage can breakdown and I do recommend it.