Millers in Marriage

Directed by Edward Burns, Millers in Marriage follows several characters, including Gretchen Mol’s Eve, Patrick Wilson’s Scott, and Burns’ Andy, as they talk and talk (and talk) about the state of their respective relationships. There’s not a whole lot more to Millers in Marriage than that, and yet the movie remains completely watchable and periodically captivating for the duration of its (admittedly slightly overlong) running time – with the picture’s success due to Burns’ penchant for compelling dialogue and its raft of engaging performances. It’s the latter that ensures Millers in Marriage grows more and more compelling as it unfolds, as Burns elicits first-class work from an impressively solid roster of actors that also boasts Julianna Margulies, Campbell Scott, and Benjamin Bratt. (It doesn’t hurt, either, that Burns gives each of his performers at least one really solid scene, including, for example, Scott’s realization that his wife’s new book is about their relationship and Bratt’s unexpectedly gripping monologue about aging.) By the time the satisfying final stretch rolls around, Millers in Marriage has cemented its place as a typically top-notch Burns effort that likely stands as his most accomplished in several years.

***1/2 out of ****