A unique and fresh perspective on a modern day love story. The Lovers doesn't hold any punches when it comes to the harsh realities of life, showing us that not every ending is a happy one.
“Debra Winger and Tracy Letts star as Mary and Michael, a long-married, dispassionate wife and husband. With the couple on the verge of calling it quits, a spark unexpectedly reignites, sweeping Mary and Michael into an impulsive and surprising “new” romance.”
The Lovers isn’t a tale of perfect marriage, or the perfect life. It is a story about the truth about many modern day marriages, when the probability of divorce is high, and what these couples go through in order to find a shred of happiness in an otherwise unhappy marriage.
Mary and Michael have been together for decades, now to the point of just going through the motions of everyday life, both constantly looking for excuses to tell the other while they carry on extra-marital affairs. Mary and Michael’s respective lovers have felt frustrated with the sneaking and secrecy, wanting more in the relationship than the other can provide. When an opportunity presents itself, their son coming home from college, Mary and Michael both have the same plan, to announce a divorce to the other so they can face their son in person instead of long distance. This excitement about starting new lives envelops both of them. Then, one night while sleeping, Mary and Michael wake up in each other’s arms, faces inches away. Clearly thinking they were somewhere else, there is a moment of panic for both, as they’ve not been this close in years. Then, a spark ignites their romance once again, as both have second thoughts about calling it quits.
What is most interesting about The Lovers is the dynamic of the film. The husband and wife, who were both secretly carrying on affairs, now have to keep secret the rekindled marriage from the ones they are having affairs with. As depressing as the subject matter may be, as well as the state of the relationship between Mary and Michael, it is a refreshing change of pace to see a film like this where some good comes from an unhappy marriage. It’s such a different type of love story that we’re used to, causing the viewer to cheer ecstatically as the two find the love they thought they lost.
The film makes it a little too easy to root for the husband and wife, however, giving us terribly annoying characters with whom each are having affairs with. As insensitive as that may sound, life isn’t so black and white, and the decision not that obvious. Although the writing leaves a bit to be desired in regards to other lovers, Mary and Michael are written beautifully. The pacing tends to be a bit slow at times, but for me, it was hardly noteworthy as I was entirely invested in the story. One point I wasn’t impressed with had to do with the son. While we wait for this big moment for them to reveal their true intentions when their son arrives, it is overshadowed by his insecure, whiny antics that seem to drain a bit of the magic that is happening on screen. This comes to a head as he explodes in a child-like manner, a hindrance to the writing and pacing of the film. Thankfully there is much more in store from the rest of the film that will make you forget about how painfully irritating that character is.
Regardless of a few pitfalls, I absolutely loved The Lovers. It’s a very unique film that paints life the way it should be: nothing is perfect, and you do what you have to do to be happy.
Video
The Lovers is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1. The transfer looks quite good, with no defects noticed in the print. Colors have a very somber tone to them, dark, almost drained at times, which perfectly mirrors the tone of the majority of the film.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. While this isn’t going to be the type of film you want to crank up to 11, levels are exceptional. The majority of the sound will be coming from the center channel in the form of dialogue, but accompanying the film is a fantastic score that plays beautifully throughout the film.
Special Features
I was happy to see there are some decent extras included on this release. On this set you’re going to see:
- The Music of Romance: Scoring The Lovers
- A Complicated Passion: Making The Lovers
- Audio Commentary with Writer and Director Azazel Jacobs
The Lovers brings a unique perspective to the genre, injecting it with a bit of realism. Entertaining and entirely fresh, I very much recommend picking this one up.