User Reviews

A fascinating story about an iconic 20th century author and Nobel Prize winner's ceremony in Stockholm is told from the vantage point of his faithful, devoted wife who first met him as one of his students decades earlier in Smith College. Based on the novel by Meg Wolitzer, it is a layered, challenging character study wonderfully brought to the big screen.

Three tremendous performances anchor this film. Glenn Close is compelling and sympathetic as the painstakingly complex protagonist wrestling with long-suppressed demons and a conflicting sense of fidelity to a marital relationship that requires an extraordinary level of compromise. Jonathan Pryce is excellent in a viscerally narcissistic role that becomes more and more appalling in his character's audacity as the storyline develops; you might wonder how this man lived with himself. Finally, Christian Slater is sharp as an unctuous but quietly ruthless biographer who has set out on an investigation- a textbook example of an odious character with righteous ends. All three actors contribute extremely well, even though Glenn Close's perspective is front and center all the way.

This film can be difficult to watch at times, but it's a powerful story that is well-presented and executed. It's a film that might warrant viewing a second time to evaluate the characters' dynamics to fully appreciate the heart of the story. Enthusiastically recommend.

Methodically paced but an intense and complicated drama, where Glenn Close is just mesmerizing on screen. As other reviewers have noted, it's highly disappointing she did not win the Best Actress Oscar.

Jonathan Pryce and Christian Slater are also excellent in their roles, and Annie Starke (Close's real life daughter) stood out in her supporting role as the young Close character. Most able direction by Swedish director Bjorn L. Runge and superb writing of the screenplay by Jane Anderson, adapted from the novel of Meg Wolitzer.

It's getting more and more difficult these days to find stories as well written, directed and acted as "The Wife." This gem of a film is a profound character exploration that managed to make me forget about script sctructure completely (which other screenwriters know is very hard to do when you live and breathe screenplays), and simply enjoy the intense psychological ride. There are a couple soft spots (narrative wise) that prevented me from going all 10-stars on this film, but it got as close as there is. And OH MY GOD, what amazing actors are Glenn Close and Anthony Pryce. There's a scene right near the end of the film in which their vulnerability is almost palpable. They went all-in with these characters, and it payed off. Standing ovation for those two.

Quick suggestion: go watch this film without seeing the trailer. It will be a better experience if you know nothing about the plot. I watched the trailer beforehand and it ruined an important plot twist for me.

I didn't like this movie, but I don't think I was meant to. It is thought provoking and very well acted by a wonderful cast. There are inconsistencies in the plot which I will not outline but they did detract. Still, it had impact and left me thinking long after the end. If we make free decisions to support and remain with a cad and a narcissist do we deserve pity for the unhappiness which results?

This is an exceptionally compelling critique of patriarchal society, and plays out like one of the great feminist tracts. The couple's surname is Castleman (the man of the castle). The acting is sensational from everyone, especially the two leads. I don't think Jonathan Pryce is getting enough credit for his performance: in some ways he has the harder role as the supreme manipulator. And the beautiful Glenn Close gives a heartbreaking Oscar-worthy portrayal of dutiful simmering repression and inequality. Without wanting to give too much away, there is a twist which could've seemed far-fetched were it not so well-handled. A clever, emotionally draining watch that'll stay with you long afterwards. 10/10.

Very capturing and emotional drama about the life of a great woman. Glenn Close deserve all the attention and hopefully the Academy award for this powerful performance. What a talent, her emotions transcend from the scene and really captures the viewer from beginning to end. Highly recommend!

"The Wife" (2017 release; 100 min.) brings the story of an elder couple, Joe and Joan. As the movie opens, it is "Connecticut 1992", and the couple is asleep, only to be woken up by an early morning phone call. It is the Nobel Academy, informing Joe that he has won the Nobel Price for Literature. Joe and Joan are overjoyed, and celebrate. Before we know it, they and grown-up son David, a wanna-be writer himself, are off to Stockholm for the award ceremony. On the plane, Joe and Joan are approached by Nathaniel, who hopes to become Joe's official biographer. Upon arriving in Stockholm, Joan thinks back how they met at Smith College in 1958... At the point we're less than 15 min. into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: the movie is directed by Swedish director Bjoen Runge, pretty much an unknown talent on this side of the ocean. Here he brings the book of the same name by Meg Wolitzer to the big screen. I have not read the book and hence cannot comment how faithful the film remains to the book. This is a very plot-heavy movie, so I am not going to say anything more about that. I will say that the movie succeeds because of its two lead performances. Glenn Close is outstanding as Joan, and frankly so is Jonathan Pryce as Joe. Christian Slater seems like he is having a ball in the supporting role of Nathaniel, the biographer-wannabe. Make sure to keep an eye out for a short (less than 5 min. of screen time) and an all-too-rare appearance by Elizabeth McGovern, who plays a veteran female writer visiting Smith College in the late 50s. The photography is nice, in particular the great overhead shots of Stockholm.

"The Wife" premiered at last year's Toronto Film Festival, to positive buzz. The movie finally reached my art-house theater here in Cincinnati. No idea why it's taken over a year, but better late than never. The early Sunday evening screening where I saw this at was attended nicely (about 20 people). If you are interested in an intense character study with some nice plot twists along the way, of are simply a fan of Glenn Close or any other the other performers, I'd readily suggest you check out "The Wife", be it in the theater (if you still can), on VOD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

Greetings again from the darkness. THE STEPFORD WIVES was stocked with some men's ideal of the perfect spouse ... attractive, dutiful, always ready to serve. In director Bjorn Runge's adaptation of the novel by Meg Wolitzer (screenplay by Jane Anderson), Joan Castleman is all of that and more as she constantly caters to her literary giant of a husband, writer Joe Castleman. It's 1992 in coastal Connecticut, and in only a few days, things will change dramatically for Mr. and Mrs. Castleman.

When we first meet this long married couple, they are in bed - she's sleeping soundly, while he's full of anxiety and anticipation over a phone call that may or may not happen. See, Joe is up for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and when the early morning call from Stockholm does come, Joe eagerly prompts Joan to listen in on the extension (it's 1992, so these are land lines). As the authoritative voice on the other end announces Joe's prize, it's the look on Joan's face that tells us that, for her, this is no celebratory moment. The facial expression is quite powerful, and it's our first inclination that 6 time Oscar nominee Glenn Close (as Joan Castleman) is delivering a performance as memorable as her work in DANGEROUS LIASONS and FATAL ATTRACTION (only this time there's no bunny).

Jonathan Pryce is spot on as the narcissistic Joe Castleman. He's clearly addicted to the pedestal upon which he sits and the corresponding adoration from worshipping fans. He's the type of guy who thinks he's doing Joan a favor by mentioning her in his speeches and calling her over to be part of his oh-so-important conversations. But as good as Mr. Pryce is, this is a tour de force from Ms. Close. She's always a step ahead of her husband - finding his glasses, ensuring he takes his pills, and monitoring his diet and sleep. It's the Nobel Prize phone call that stirred some long-suppressed feelings; lighting a fuse that will leave us anxiously awaiting the fireworks.

Max Irons (Jeremy's son) plays an aspiring writer and son to Joe and Joan. David's bitterness towards his father is evident throughout and his desperate attempts to gain his father's respect are nothing short of heart-breaking. Christian Slater plays Nathaniel Bone, a would-be biographer of Joe Castleman ... if only Joe would give him the time of day. Nathaniel is often quite intrusive in his pursuit of the truth - at least what he hopes it would be since it would make a fantastic book. Karin Franz Korlof plays Linnea, a young photographer assigned to Joe during the Sweden trip. It's an odd role as none of the other winners have their own photographer ... but not as odd as the small talk amongst the various category Nobel winners. Those scenes, and the verbal exchanges, are as awkward as one might imagine.

Director Runge utilizes flashbacks to 1958 Smith College to provide us a foundation and narrative for the relationship between Joe and Joan. She was once a budding star writer under the tutelage of the young, married professor. Her flirting, babysitting and writing all worked to win Joe over, and they were soon married. Young Joe the professor is played by Harry Lloyd (great-great-great grandson of Charles Dickens), and young Joan is played beautifully by Annie Stark (Glenn Close's real life daughter). These early days and an encounter with a broken female writer (played terrifically by Elizabeth McGovern) lead Joan to surrender her writing dreams and put her support behind her husband. Shooting down the purity of "a writer must write", McGovern's beaten down character instead says "a writer has to be read".

Glenn Close will likely receive much Oscar chatter for her role. Her transformation from dutiful sidekick to self-enlightenment is a performance laden with subtle and nuanced signs of resentment. Her early disquiet could be compared to a volcano - the inside building towards eruption while the outside remains strong and majestic. Living a lie never becomes truth ... even after 30 plus years.

Glenn Close is Joan, the titular wife of Nobel prize winner, writer Joe. The couple, with their moody son David, travel to Stockholm for the ceremony, but what should be a happy event turns into the unravelling of all their secrets.

Close as Joan, plays a type of passive-aggressive character I personally despise. She does a good job, but that did not make me like Joan a bit more.

With a perennial fake smile frozen on her lips, Joan is the quintessential wronged wife who sticks to her philandering husband for reasons impossible to understand.

Theirs seems to be a relationship based on lies and deception from the very beginning. Their life together is an exploitation of each other and a mountain of lies, not only to the public in general but also to their children.

Also, the feminist twist of the plot failed to impress me. Joan allegedly gave up writing in the 50s, because "lady writers" were mocked by publishers, but we all know that lady writers always had a public and many of them wrote with great success even in earlier years (think Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, Dorothy Parker and countless others).

Joan is just a coward who blames anybody else and society at large, for her failure. Should we feel sympathetic? Probably many will, because she fits in beautifully with our society of whiners.

Based on Meg Wollitzer's novel, this drama surrounding the heated marriage between a husband and wife, Joe and Joan Castleman. Joe is slated to receive a Nobel Prize in Stockholm for achievements in literary excellence. While in Stockholm with his wife, hard truths begin to spill out that have profound effects on the two individuals as a couple. The film is a masterpiece from start to finish, as it manages to excel in acting, writing, score, and cinematography.

Glenn Close's performance as Joan is most certainly Oscar-worthy; she manages to cover an entire and plentiful range of emotion and works miracles of suspense with her devotion to the character during the film's most intense moments of drama. Jonathan Price creates a powerful character study while playing Joe, and manages to ooze out a deep and systemic feeling of pervasive self-absorption and dishonesty in each frame. The film's pace is outstanding and keeps the viewer engaged from beginning to end. The drama continues to simmer and simmer up until the climax, when it can boil over. The pacing allows for flashbacks of college-age Joan and Joe that manage to take us out of the present day without ever feeling disjointed or clunky. Another standout in the cast is Glenn Close's daughter, who plays Young Joan during the flashback scenes. The deeply sophisticated script sparks the interest of the viewer at the narrative's commencement and rewards your patience during the climax and ending. The exploration of key feminist themes surrounding how society may not equally celebrate the accomplishments of women provides the narrative with a strong and original sense of social consciousness as well. But what makes this script so truly unique is the sense in the writing that actions truly are capable of producing reciprocal consequences. While some films attempt to maintain a form of narrative gravity akin to that, they often feel contrived rather than genuine in their attempts to do so. In this film's story, every decision impacts and is impacted by other decisions. This is done through multiple dimensions, rather than feeling similar to something like a line of dominoes. It makes the film's drama all the more believable, thoughtful, and impactful.

Aesthetically, "The Wife" is also superb, which is not necessarily expected in a relatively low-key drama like this--but absolutely welcomed. The film's simple and often wide-shot cinematography of Stockholm and the surrounding areas are outstanding, as is the simple score which increases the senses of emotion and tension throughout the film's duration. All in all, the film is a nearly perfect drama headlined by an outstanding and awards-worthy performance from Close. It's my favorite film of the year so far. Very highly recommended. 10/10

I thought The Wife (2017) was good however not great. The ensemble cast for the most part give fine performances. Glenn Close's performance as Joan Castleman is outstanding with a finely balanced display of emotions from a woman who has been cast in the shadow of her husband's greatness. However, Jonathan Price as the celebrated author Joseph Castleman is not as convincing and lacks the skill and power of an actor like Close. One wonders whether other actors (such as Sean Connery) might have been better suited to the task. The Castleman's son, David (Ben Irons), adds to the tensions within the family however more could have been made of this to expose the brutal behaviour of his father, Joseph. Christian Slater has a great time playing the sleazy would be biographer, Nathaniel Bone. Some of the cinematography is spectacular, especially the aerial shots of Stockholm and in particular the long and swooping camera shot of Glenn Close's face in the last moments of the movie in the hotel room. This movie is worth seeing for Close's performance alone. The storyline of a decades' long charade unraveling is captivating.

Glenn Close makes this movie to what it is: a superb drama. I really think this movie could have been just avarage, without her acting. Her powerful performance lifts this in a way that draws you into the action, and that you really remember the film afterwards too. I have always liked her, but I have never really understood how truly good she is, before I saw this. See it, if you want to see what good acting is all about, and you won't regret it.

Really nice movie with great performances. I don't understand why or how Glenn didn't win this time smh.

"The Wife". To date, the Best Film of the Year! Award Winning Swedish Director Bjorn Runge ("Om Jag Vander Mig Om" 2003 and "Mum Mot Mun" 2005) is about to become a household name, as he teams with Emmy Winning Writer Jane Anderson ("Olive Kitteridge" 2015) to bring Meg Wolitzer's book to the big screen. Joe (the terrific Johnathan Pryce) is about to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. At his side is his doting yet reserved wife Joan (welcome back to the Big Screen Glen Close) and their man child son David (the handsome, yet miss casted Max Irons "Condor" TV). From the moment this film begins, and if you look close, you can see in the eyes of the Castleman family there is an underlining something wrong. David has felt it his entire life, and he can't help but wear it on his sleeve. Joan has suppressed it her entire mirrage, and is determined to stick by her man. And, Joe, a self absorbed womanizer, is so involved in his own success he can't see what it's doing to himself and his family. Anderson's writing keeps all the family secrets close to the families chest, making the audience wondering painstakingly when and if the dam will burst. Director Range has complete control of the presentation, quietly letting the audience in to the inner workings of the family through flashbacks, until it's too much to withhold. Stockholm cinematography by Ulf Brantas sets the scene of the Noble Prize Award, providing just the right cold environment sure to melt down the families wall at any minute. Costumes/Wardrobe by Trisha Biggar ("Star Wars" trilogy) are subtle and beautiful, and could be recognized come Awards time. Close is once again at the top of her game, with those piercing eyes and cold shell that makes one study her every move. Pryce hits his acting stride here, as a man sinking in muddy waters. Unfortunately, while I'm a big fan of Max Irons, he's just a bit to old for this "wounded" son role. "The Wife" has officially began the Award Season race for Best Film of the Year. Don't miss it!