Starring Chris Cooper, Patricia Clarkson
Directed by Ira Sachs

“I always thought marriage was a type of illness, like chicken pox,” says Richard. His narration establishes what could be a macabre comedy, yet may be a portent of dramatic misfortune, and in truth is a little of both.

Sachs reaches through a socially turbulent 1940s to poke around the floral prints and beige flannel of domestic propriety: it’s a little Douglas Sirk, a little Todd Haynes, though far less successful than either. Tone is the sticking point as the writer/director presents Harry and Pat Allen, an outwardly contented couple. Pat loves Harry, but Harry loves the much younger Kay. Rather than see his wife suffer, he decides to kill her. Then family friend Richard intervenes when he makes a move for Kay, while Pat is making moves of her own. At the core of this duplicitous business lies gallows humour that doesn’t save what should be an enjoyably buttoned-down story about lies, adultery and murder. Instead it falters on a line between black comedy and romantic melodrama.

This variability makes the plight of Sachs’ characters like something overheard on a train, curious yet largely devoid of personal involvement. Despite solid performances and appealing design, Married Life prefers to shuffle the deck than play its hand.

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