Marie and Bruce (2004)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Tom Cairns

Writers:

Wallace Shawn (screenplay) and
Tom Cairns (screenplay)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A surreal story of two people.

Plot:

Based on a play by Wallace Shawn, the film is a dark but comical glimpse at one day in the breakdown of a marriage. |

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Cast

Julianne Moore	...	Marie
Matthew Broderick	...	Bruce
Bob Balaban	...	Roger
Griffin Dunne	...	Restaurant Guest
Julie Hagerty	...	Party Guest at Frank's
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Aaron Baker	...	Antione
Andy Borowitz	...	Jim
Steve Burns	...	Fred
Carl Burrows	...	Mariner
Blossom Dearie	...	Gwendolyn
Brother Eden Douglas	...	Eccentric Dinner Guest (as Brother Douglas)
Marshall Efron	...	Ed
Tom Riis Farrell	...	Frank
Michael Ferreira	...	Yvonne (as Michael McDerman)
Robert Gant	...	Bartender
Robert Lehrer	...	Leader
Campbell Scott
Christopher Evan Welch	...	Party Guest
David Wiater	...	Tim

Also Known As:

Marie & Bruce (Australia) (DVD title) (International: English title) (alternative spelling)
Wallace Shawn's Marie & Bruce (USA) (poster title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language including sexual references, and some nudity.

Runtime:

90 min | Australia:83 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | USA:R | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Holedigger Films

Trivia:

The film originally premiered in the US at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2004. However, because of distributer problems, the film took a long 5 years to hit the US market (in which it was released internationally on DVD from 2005-2007), finally arriving on DVD in March 2009.

My Dinner with Ennui

Wallace Shawn wrote the very fine 'My Dinner with Andre', a talky but sensitive film that created a niche for conversational stories without plot. Sadly the qualities of that play to film result did not make it with his MARIE AND BRUCE. On paper it looks as though this strenuously boring film should be worth watching: Shawn's previous credentials, the direction by Tom Cairns, and the presence of Julianne Moore and Matthew Broderick together with little feature appearances by the likes of Campbell Scott and Blossom Dearie should suggest investing time in viewing.

Unfortunately the film's premise is so dull that even the technique of having characters speak exactly what is in their minds mixed with dialogue seemingly more appropriate for human ears and adding dreamlike sequences including some rather randy voyeurism - stage worthy though these techniques may be - just can't make this dreary story of a day in the dissolution of a VERY bad marriage work. The only character in the film with whom the viewer can empathize is a friendly dog. Pass on this sad flop. Grady Harp