‘Splitsville’ review: Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona in a Winning Indie Comedy Puts Two Divorcing Coupples Through The Wringer

What Many of US KNOW as screwball Comedies – Particularly The Great Ones of the 1930s and 40s – Philosopher Stanley Cavell Famously Dubbed “Remarigee Comedies Apart at the start of the movie, only to get back together at the end. In Between Were All The Hijinks.

For Their Second Feature After the Impressively HelMed 2019 Bromance, The climbMichael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin Return to Cannes with SplitsvilleA Bona Fide Remariage Comedy That Shows The Pair Expanding Into Broader Material, All The While Keeping Many of Their Tastes and Idiosyncrasies Intact.

Co-Starring Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona, Who Play a Pair of Smart, Dynamic WOMEN OPPOSITE TWO TTTAL HOOFBBALLS, THIS NEON-DISTRIBUTED EFAST FINE FINEFULER A LARGER A LARGER A LARGER A LARGER Splitsville may be less unique than The climbbut is just as accomplished, Making for the rare indie comedy in a kindle matters as Much as Substance.

From The Bravura Opening Sequance, in WHICH A PLEASANT DRIVE TO A BEACH HUSH HUSE BETWEEN Sweethearts Carey Filmmakers Trying to do someting Different. Directed by Covino From A Script Co-Written with Marvin, The Movie Captivates Early on with Several Scenes Peny of Twists to come.

Durying the Fateful Car Trip, Ashley Informs Carey that She’s Been Unfaithful and Wants to Break Up with HIM. He Leaves Her by the Side of the Road and Treks Over to the Seaside Mansion of His Best Bud Paul (Covino), Who’s Been Happily Married For Many Years to Julie). The Two Claim They Preserved Their Relationship by Become and Open Couple and Being “More Flexible With The Physical.” WHEN Paul Heads to Manhattan for Work The Next Day, Carey Soon Enough Finds HimSelf in Julie’s Arms, and THEN SOME.

The rest of Splitsville Follows What HapPens to the Two Couples As They Drift Away from Their Significant Others, Casting Aside Monogamy and Venturing Toward Parts Unknown. The situations they face-WHATHER IT’s ASHLEY HOUSING A LITANY OF CART-TIME LOVERS IN THE APARTMENT SHE Still Shares with Give Rise to Penty of Comic Moments.

These include an absolutely bonkers early fighting Scene Between the Two Dudes that Covino Stages Like A Cross Between Jackie Chan and Jacques Tati, Using the Décor of Paul’s Luxury Luxury Household Item Can Become a Weapon. Another Highlight Features Carey Roaming AROUND HIS FLAT as One Man After Another Walks Into Ashley’s Life, or Rather Her Bedroom, Then Winds Up Sticking AROUND FORE WAY TOO LONG.

The Filmmakers Use Tese Instances of Extreme Domestic Disorder to Explore Is ACCEPTable In An Open Relationship, and How Far Couples Are Trulay Willing to Go To Stay Together. As Carey Drifts Closer to Julie, Their Partners Are Momentarily Cast Aside, Seeking Solutions That Only CAUSE EVERYONONE MORE PROBLEMS. Splitsville Underlines how Those claiming they’ve Cracyked the Code on how to Maintain a successful love life, WHETher by the skicking with One Partner or Seneking as Many as Posible, Eventuelly.

While The climb Was Primarily Focused on Covino and Marvin, This Film Spends More Time With The Women, Allowing Johnson and Arjona to Showcase Their Comic Chops in Scenes Emphasing Howling Hows. The Men Surrowing Them. This doesn’t mean ashley and julie don’t get hurt as well – they just don’t like babies WHEN IT HAPPENS, WHEREAS CAREY AND PAUL ADOPT RIDICULES COPING STRESGIESS. Passive -aggressive Acceptance.

DIVIDED INTO Several Chapters Named After Stipulations in a Divorce Contract, Splitsville Starts Off with Lots of Absurdist Comedy, THEN SETTLES DOWN IN ITS Second Half to Explore The Ripple Effects of the Dual Breakups. Covino’s Style Favors Bold Camera Setups (CourTesy of Adam Newport-Berra, The Studio) that either track or steadicam Along with the action in long tails, or else remain in a fixed position util a joke is finally delivated. Humor Can Be Either Full-on Slapstick-Blake Edwards’ The Party Comes to Mind in Certain Scenes – or Else Slyly Verbal with Lots of Deadpan Delivery.

In the Roundabout Way of All Good Remarage Comedies, Splitsville Takes The Two Coupples Pretty Much Back to Where They Started, Culminating with a Birthaday Party for Paul and Julie’s Son That Predictable Flies Off The Rails. The Great Nicholas Braun (Succession) Makes a HILARIUS CAMEO IN THAT SEQUENCE as A Gloomy Mentalist, Mixing More Absurdity Into The Brew. But The Movie Never Gets Too Outlandish or Silly, Revealing Covino and Marvin to Be Filmmakers Who Can Reapa Lots of Chas While Remaining Firmly in Control of Their Art.