Scenes From A Marriage On HBO

Jordan2 · ‎03-16-2010

Did anyone watch this last night? It's a five episode miniseries starring Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain as a married couple. It's adapted from Ingmar Bergman's 1973 Swedish classic. I found watching this couple uncomfortable.

Oznell · ‎11-08-2014

It's interesting you say that, @Jordan2 . I had the same reaction, as I recall, to Bergman's Swedish original. Even though the performers were talented, and it was "the great director" Bergman, etc., I found it to be quite excruciating to watch!

If it's a close adaptation of the original, I can well imagine it not being appealing to sit through.

GenXmuse · ‎05-15-2016

That was intense! I could just feel the heaviness in the room and I thought the performances really captured the emotions in a nuanced way that made them feel like an actual couple.

The last scenes were brutal. I think each was waiting for the other to come out and say they wanted the baby but wanting to make the other one being supported by what they thought they wanted. Kind of a messed up “Gift of the Magi” situation. I really thought she was going to vomit and that would reopen the decision.

I guess, as a married woman, it’s hard to imagine discussing whether to proceed with a pregnancy unless there were insurmountable issues like I would have before I had settled down. The open marriage discussion and the kiss between the two wives while the two husbands continued their discusión seemed like a lot to cover in the first episode. My friends and I must be pretty boring!

I enjoyed the grad student interviewing them and how they played off each other, deferred to the other, trying to balance the interview and her discomfort in being left alone with the student felt very authentic.

I’m really interested in how he came from being an Orthodox Jew all through college to being what seems like pretty secular in his views and but that may be a entirely different show.

culebra · ‎03-11-2010

I thought the first episode was intense. I think as the series progresses it will become more intense and possibly uncomfortable for some.

MW in Iowa · ‎03-10-2010

Jessica Chastain is really on a roll , she plays Tammy Faye Baker next , she recently said wearing all of the makeup ruined her skin.

threecees · ‎09-22-2017

I really looked forward to watching this as the preview looked

so interesting.

Well I recorded it and watched it earlier. First episode was a let

down. If I would have watched it Sunday night I would have

fallen asleep during it.

I will give the second episode a try next Sunday. Hoping it improves.

chessylady · ‎05-01-2010

I watched the first episode this afternoon. I think the acting is excellent and look forward to the character development. I liked her character more than him but felt she deferred to him too much. Seems like she married down. Things are going to get worse for this couple,someone is going to cheat. Who kept phoning her?

phoenixbrd · ‎03-27-2010

Bergman is a master...the fact that any viewer felt uncomfortable only proves this point.

bayflwc · ‎08-07-2010

@chessylady wrote:
I watched the first episode this afternoon. I think the acting is excellent and look forward to the character development. I liked her character more than him but felt she deferred to him too much. Seems like she married down. Things are going to get worse for this couple,someone is going to cheat. Who kept phoning her?

I assumed (later) that the calls / texts were from her Doctor, confirming the results of her pregnancy test. I could be wrong though.

I thought it was an ok first episode, but I am glad to hear it is a limited episode program. Not sure I would be able to hang in there beyond the 5 or whatever it is.