Guilt drives people apart. So if you just allow everything, there's no guilt and no splitting up. Right?
Written by Susan Dijker
Splitsville is the latest 'romantic' comedy starring Dakota Johnson. The movie, directed by Michael Angelo Covino, premiered at the 78th edition of Festival de Cannes earlier this year.
Ashley (Adria Arjona) and Carey (Kyle Marvin), a relatively newly wed couple, are on their way to visit friends. When they become involved in a lethal car crash Ashley has an epiphany about where she is in life. She tells Carey that she's been unfaithful and that she wants a divorce. In the hysterical title sequence Carey runs out of the car and heads for the friends' lake house by foot to ask them for advice and a place to stay. Julie (Dakota Johnson) and Paul (Michael Angelo Covino) give Carey their secret to a happy relationship: an open marriage. That is, until Carey and Julie have sex, turning all of their lives upside down.
The movie is a real screwball comedy, giving us a battle of the sexes and apparently subverting traditional values around the masculinity of sexual freedom. It is refreshing to see a scenario where the female characters are the ones that don't want to be tied to one sexual partner, as opposed to the standard tragedy of the man secretly sleeping around. The movie, however, doesn't seem to want to make much of a statement with this choice. Since this isn't a story about cheating, but about open marriage, the women don't explicitly take on the traditional male narrative. Instead, while the women do get sexual freedom, they still need permission from their male spouses first. In the end, at least one of the women gets back into a monogamous relationship with her husband. Not only that, but Ashley even goes into an elaborate scheme to win Carey back. What upon first glance seems to be a feminist narrative that subverts traditions, ends up actually reaffirming these very same traditions when the men ultimately stay in charge of who gets to have sex and when. I feel like if Splitsville was directed by a woman the potential to make a statement would probably have been utilized better.
That is not at all to say, however, that the movie is neither good nor enjoyable. Starting from the assumption that all art is inevitably political, I don't think every film needs to make an explicit political statement. Some movies are just simply fun and Splitsville is one of them. A combination of slapstick and irony make for a hilarious comedy that has the viewer laughing all the way through. The small cast consists of characters that are equally over the top and recognizable. Each of the main characters has a certain complexity, but don't expect an in-depth character study of internal battle and torment. Instead, the characters all have their good and bad traits that make them feel like real people who have to deal with the consequences of their actions. The side characters are more stereotypical, but this doesn't make them any less fun to watch. The actors have great chemistry on screen and really seem to have a blast telling the story.
If you are looking for a deep movie that challenges your perception of the world, Splitsville might not be for you. However, the movie is really funny in the way it touches upon everyday topics like marriage. The characters are relatable and the situations are just the right amount of insane. Even though the movie skips out on making a big statement with its central themes, it is still fun and refreshing to see middle-aged characters explore their sexuality in a teen-like way. So, if you are just looking for a laugh and a good time, with a fun cast that really seems to be enjoying themselves, Splitsville is a great option that will make you forget about the troubles in the world for two hours.
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