The Wife

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2:17

The Wife

R

2018

1h 40m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

234 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Joan and Joe remain complements after nearly 40 years of marriage. Where Joe is casual, Joan is elegant. Where Joe is vain, Joan is self-effacing. And where Joe enjoys his very public role as the great American novelist, Joan pours her considerable intellect, grace, charm and diplomacy into the private role of a great man's wife. As Joe is about to be awarded the Nobel Prize for his acclaimed and prolific body of work, Joan starts to think about the shared compromises, secrets and betrayals.

Critics Consensus

The Wife relies on the strength of Glenn Close's performance to drive home the power of its story -- and she proves thoroughly, grippingly up to the task.

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Edward Porter

The Times (UK)

11/29/2022

The story is eventually revealed to be a tad far-fetched, but its events make it a page-turner, and Close is not its only first-rate performer.

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Nell Minow

AWFJ.org

09/30/2021

Her name is Joan and his name is Joe, suggesting that the boundaries between them are blurred. It is that blurring this movie explores, with a performance of mingled rage, guilt, passion, and integrity by the magnificent Glenn Close.

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Anupama Chopra

Film Companion

02/15/2019

4/5

The Wife is an insight into long relationships, the way men and women heal and hurt each other. There are moments here that all husbands and wives will recognize. But the biggest reason to see this film is to experience the power of Glenn Close.

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JD Duran

InSession Film

08/07/2024

C-

Regardless of whether you are looking for drama mixed with superb acting, The Wife is simply not the film to scratch that itch. It is a miscalculating, dreadful, and painfully boring way to spend one hundred minutes.

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Diana Tuova

Spotlight on Film

08/04/2024

4/5

The film has its faults, but Glenn Close’s performance ensures that it is also sincere and convincing.

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Calum Cooper

Source (Scotland)

07/14/2024

4/5

With her doubts acting as a juxtaposition to the legitimate chemistry and sense of love between the spouses, her character is fascinating, but Close is what makes the role so astonishing.

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Rocky R

@Jibblybitty Feb 1

While the film is enjoyable, due to decent acting from the leads and beautiful camerawork, the story feels spoon fed to the viewer. I could guess every twist before it was revealed so there are never those jaw-drop moments that you hoped for. The fact that The Favourite, won the Oscar over this, shows how clearly this film was another attempt to cash in on the feminist revival of the me too moment. The favourite did this well, shining a light of a real woman’s experiences and the complexities of the human experience - leaving the viewer space to make their own inferences about the characters and their intentions. The wife, however, felt like an unnecessary justification of a wives eternal servitude - not what I expected or hoped the takeaway would be, especially as the the basis could’ve made for a really interesting exploration into something that many real women have experienced.

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Bronwyn D

@RT07483080 May 16

The movie is good, though sad. Glenn Close is FANTASTIC. It was somewhat difficult for me to feel TOO bad for her character, Joan however, since the Charade was HER idea in the first place. But I guess that's what so many women do, for the men they love. He shouldn't have let her, of course, but his ego was more important. Plus his affairs were an Extra Dose of JERK.

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Joan P

@RT99718785 12/31/2024

Brilliant movie. Close portays the caring wife, however knowing its all a great big lie. I could watch this woman play in anything she is just wonderful. Not forgetting the rest of the cast who were equally as good.

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Catherine B

@RT27047536 10/06/2024

A friend walked back to his PC when I said I wanted to watch this - glad I didn't capitulate and watch something else - his loss. I loved it. A very complex storyline with great dialogue addresses complex questions at many levels with terrific performances generally but yes, Glenn Close's performance is just stunning. Don't let anyone talk you out of watching it.

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Anna G

@RT51925581 09/29/2024

stunning show , i was gripped by it

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Liz P

@RT40102104 02/04/2024

Glen Close is brilliant, just so believable.

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Björn Runge

Director

Glenn Close

Joan Castleman

Jonathan Pryce

Joe Castleman

Christian Slater

Nathaniel Bone

Annie Starke

Young Joan Castleman

Harry Lloyd

Young Joe Castleman

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Synopsis

Joan and Joe remain complements after nearly 40 years of marriage. Where Joe is casual, Joan is elegant. Where Joe is vain, Joan is self-effacing. And where Joe enjoys his very public role as the great American novelist, Joan pours her considerable intellect, grace, charm and diplomacy into the private role of a great man's wife. As Joe is about to be awarded the Nobel Prize for his acclaimed and prolific body of work, Joan starts to think about the shared compromises, secrets and betrayals.

Director: Björn Runge
Producer: Piers Tempest, Rosalie Swedlin, Meta Louise Foldager, Claudia Bluemhuber, Peter Gustafsson
Screenwriter: Jane Anderson
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Anonymous Content, Meta Film, Silver Reel
Rating: R (Some Sexual Content|Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 17, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 25, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $9.6M
Runtime: 1h 40m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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