The Wife

“I am a King maker.”

Filmology Rating: 2.75 out of 4

In 1968, Tammy Wynette told women to "Stand By Your Man." Joan Castleman, (Glenn Close) did much more than that in The Wife. But after 40 years, her marriage takes a toll when her egocentric husband, Joe (Jonathan Pryce) is about to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.

The Wife is based on the 2003 novel by Meg Wolitzer. The film, was directed by Swedish director Bjorn Runge and written by Jane Anderson, was in development for over ten years until it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. This was at the onset of the #Times Up and #Me Too movements. Immediately, there was a lot of buzz about Glenn Close's performance. After six Oscar nominations, will she finally win the Academy Award for Best Actress? I certainly hope so.

The Wife opens with the couple in bed awaiting for the expected call about the news of the award. When Joe says "I have to wait for my wife to pick up the other line" I knew something was up. And did you see the expression on Joan's face? It didn't look like she was exactly happy about her husband's tremendous feat. Next thing you know, they are jumping gleefully on the bed, a ritual which began when his first book was published.

They travel to Stockholm, Sweden to collect the award with their downtrodden son (Max Irons, Jeremy Irons' son), who is a struggling writer desperately seeking his father's approval. Throughout their travels, they are being pursued by a slimy biographer (Christian Slater) who tries to uncover the family's secrets.

Through flashbacks, we learn that Joan (Anne Stark), Glenn Close's real life daughter, was Joe's student at Smith College and a talented writer in her own right. Elizabeth McGovern in a cameo discourages an insecure Joan from writing claiming publishing is a man's business and her work will never be sold. She then takes a subservient role to her husband, literally serving Joe and his writer friends, ignoring his many infidelities Why does she put with it? That is the burning question.

The Wife is a suspense thriller in that it builds slowly at a steady pace. Just like a pot of stew, Joan's simmering emotions come to a boil on the biggest night of her husband's life. This comes across through Glenn Close's mannerisms whether it be a wry smile, a blank stare or clenched teeth. Jonathan Pryce deserves praise as well as the manipulative, narcissistic husband who is dependent on his wife in more ways than one.

If you haven't read the Meg Worlitzer novel, I recommend you watching the movie without watching the trailer. But even so, there is a twist at the end that suggests that our heroine, no longer the long suffering wife of Joe Castleman, will be finally be free to follow her passion.

Go see this movie with your Wife; it is not to be missed.

Rating: See It

-Margie