(2nd viewing) An emotionally resonant script of precision and unparalleled humility. A shame some people don't realise marriage is composed of these moments of uncertitude and commotion, and how working past them enforces its foundation together with heartfelt empathy. The lead actors give the most natural performances ever recorded on screen, though I guess the real star of this film is Bergman himself, who's in complete control of his visuals and subject matter. Highly recommended !!!

It's like watching some random family's home movies. Where's the soundtrack? How can this movie possibly sustain itself for nearly 3 hours with the most matter-of-fact, un-exhilarating dialogue? Maybe I have to be married to endure this borefest. Not trolling, I swear!

It shows love as a force that can remain indomitable, even in the face of reason or want, and personally I find the idea of love preserving even in the face of everything more romantic than almost any attempts to look at newly founded love in all its beautiful floundering (though the latter can of course be highly romantic as well). A brutally honest, relentlessly truthful, painful, exasperating, life-affirming, wise, thought provoking and highly challenging film.

Man, I'm not even married and I want a divorce.

Excellent film.

This is about everything one can imagine about a lifetime of faking feelings. I am not talking only about the marriage itself but about the feelings that a person can have and hide during the life and the will that every persons keeps behind their masks. A masterpiece from this genious Ingmar Bergman.

Scenes From A Marriage is absolutely incredible. I've seen families go through something similar like this from the outside, and was really surprised to see how life-like it was onscreen, like it was actually happening as you are watching it like in real life. Both the miniseries and the film are amazing, and aside from a few scenes that I liked here and there, the film's cut captures all the major events from the series perfectly and fits the entire story together in a much less run time.

The minisseries is a must-see, but somtimes it tries to hard to be "deep" - even though it ultimately is.

Has some great moments but simply, there is not enough material to carry the movie through its 170 minute span. Despite the fact that I like this type of movies where everything is based on acting and dialogue, I got bored somewhere close to the second hour.

Three hour version. This is so goddamned nuanced; my favourite thing is how the relationship just seems to fall apart naturally, and the way Johan breaks it off with Marianne is surprising and ultimately very real.

Probably the most affecting film without a score that I have seen. The performances are so wonderfully nuanced and compelling that the stage play-like qualities of the film did not detract from the intimate reality it portrays.

Extremely engaging and well made film. The camera is invisible, it's like we are watching moments from these people's lives without them knowing. The performances by Ullman and Josephson are two of the best ever. Arguably Bergman's finest.

499

(TV cut) It's amazing that in its entire 5 hour runtime, this film stays relentlessly efficient, and Bergman never wavers emotional intensity. No time is wasted, and you're left hanging on every word. The absence of stylistic flourish, the insulated atmosphere, and two incredibly authentic performances provide total immersion. It's painstakingly realistic, and by the end I felt drained.

Acting is absolutely flawless. This movie nails the depiction of any relationship through the brilliant dialogue. It shows us two very level headed, intelligent people who go through what every couple must. The best part is there is very little shouting. Most of the debates between Johan and Marianne were two calm adults revealing feelings and fears that most people would bottle up. The level of honesty and openness can be hard to swallow but reveals how crazy true love really makes us.

I'm pretty sure all the problems in this movie could have been avoided if Johan wasn't so lousy at sex.

The biggest problem for me was that despite all those reviews claiming the characters are so relatable, they just weren't. Johan is a complete dick and a manchild... he complains about everything, laying the blame for his own actions on others and then smacks his wife around. It seems like he's set up as a strawman so you can sympathize with Marianne, whose continued attraction to him I didn't understand. The acting was great but with these characters I wasn't sold on this as a masterpiece.

I was sadly not as impressed by this as I should have been. It was obviously incredibly well-written and acted, and Bergman perfectly achieves what he intended to do, but I just didn't really give much of a shit about the characters (particularly Johan). Basically, a brilliantly made film that does very little for me personally.

This is a great, great movie, and one I would give a perfect score to if not for the fact that it was such a draining experience. I don't know if I've ever been hit harder emotionally watching a film.

#437