The Contenders: THE WIFE

Note: As we approach the 91st Oscars, I’m realizing that I haven’t written about all that many of the biggest contenders this year. So for a few weeks, allow me to play catch-up and log a few thoughts these films inspired, both on the screen and beyond its edges – RM

THE WIFE is a film that in most years would have slipped entirely under the radar. It’s a quiet tale about a relationship and an artistic process, and it doesn’t feature any glamorous movie stars of the moment. Not the sort of thing that moves a lot of tickets or sparks a lot of water cooler conversation.

But it does have Glenn Close in an incredible performance – and that’s not nuthin’.

The story of the wife hangs on Joseph Castleman (Jonathan Pryce), an illustrious author with thirty years’ worth of accomplished works behind him. In 1992, he is honoured with a Nobel Prize, sending him and his wife Joan (Close) over the moon. As the couple begin to celebrate the accomplishment, and jet to Sweden to attend the awards ceremony, a staggering truth slowly comes to light – a truth that recontextualizes both the marriage, and the work.

The movie has earned a Best Actress nomination for Glenn Close, and she stands a high chance of taking the prize.

What we get is a great performance, within a compelling story, turned into a “just okay” film.

As the film pulled towards its close, I couldn’t quite put my finger on where it was going wrong…or why…or how. Then, as the screen went to black, my answer was presented in white script:

Directed by Björn Runge

A story of a woman whose influence and work had been overlooked for decades was directed by a man. It was already strange enough that a film called THE WIFE was actually much more about THE HUSBAND (Joseph is almost always present, and if he isn’t he’s the topic of conversation).

Right about now, you might be saying “That’s the point, Ryan” – and that’s true, but I’d argue it shouldn’t have been the point to this degree. All of the subtext and nuance that a female perspective could have brought to the table was missing.

While there are subtleties and inflections that underscore Joan’s journey and role, there aren’t nearly enough compared to better offerings making the rounds. One wonders if those details are played up higher in Meg Wolitzer’s book…and if anything, I should thank this film for adding yet another paperback to my teetering pile.

But then there’s Close…

What’s most fascinating about her performance in this film is less what she says, and more what she does. Time and time again, Joan is in a position where she is watching or listening. In these moments, her face and her body language are fascinating. There is appeasement in how she holds a coat, allure in how she smokes a cigarette, discrimination in how she watches interactions. Her character doesn’t get to articulate as much as she would surely feel, so she finds other ways to get those feelings across…and it is a master class.

Close portrays a woman we’ve all likely encountered at one time or another, and left us curious about little we actually know about what’s consuming their thoughts.

There have been good stories about female characters told by men, and there aren’t near enough being made told by women. As time goes on, it’s becoming clearer and clearer to see where these stories are left wanting when carried in the wrong hands.

THE WIFE succeeds in how it does a lot with a little, but it fails in the way it could have done a lot more.