'A writer has to write.'
'A writer has to be read, honey.'
The Gist: The Wife is a story for our time. This adaptation of Meg Wolitzer's 2003 novel may tell a well-tried story of literary endeavour and human failing, but its core theme of stifled female ambition makes it pure 2019. Glenn Close is Joan, devoted but long-suffering wife of author Joe Castleman (Jonathan Pryce) - tending to her ailing husband's needs and rising above his extra-marital dalliances with heroic forebearance. The news that Joe is to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature elates them both, but on the trip to Stockholm, Sweden for the award ceremony Joan's delight is tempered by another very different emotion. She and Joe have carried a secret throughout their marriage, one which a tenacious literary biographer (Christian Slater) is determined to uncover, and one which is eating away at Joan more and more. Exactly how much of Joe's literary success is down to her and how long can she square that knowledge with her pride?
The Juice: While the performances are strong all round here, this film rests squarely on those of its leads - and they do a truly sterling job. Close has been snaffling up awards, largely due to her ability to speak triple-volumes with a stare (watch her response to the Nobel committee phone-call for a masterclass in warring emotions). But Pryce is excellent also - his peacock arrogance belying a deep insecurity. Together they are acting dynamite, conveying a complex marriage full of betrayal and compromise along with genuine love. The whole movie is a slow-burn of frustration to the inevitable moment when both partners confront the significance of Joe's award. Annie Starke (Close's real-life daughter) and Harry Lloyd also engage as a younger version of the couple, in flashback scenes that reveal the source of the tension at the heart of Joan and Joe's relationship. Director Bjorn Runge serves the actors skilfully and Jocelyn Pook compliments the story with a graceful orchestral score. If I have one gripe it's that the screenplay simply hasn't got enough poetry for a story all about writers. There really could be more insight here into the nature of the Castleman literary legacy.
The Judgement: 8/10. With a riveting core dynamic between Close and Price it's no wonder that awards have resulted. (Shame though that Pryce hasn't shared more in the attention.) While the script could convey more of the artistic genius at the story's heart, the beautifully observed characters and their turbulent inner life have power to keep viewers enthralled. And seldom has the 'behind every great man' cliche been critiqued as powerfully as here.
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