Scenes from a Marriage

Few movies have ever bothered less with plot, style, or conventional guidelines; in no movie have they ever mattered less. Bergman's triumph is to create two characters who are so convincingly fleshed out that to see them on screen is to know them intimately: to love them, hate them, and to share in their pain, sorrow, and redemption every step of the way. In its own way, through all the fighting and heartbreak, this is the most romantic movie ever made; it's the best romance I've ever seen.

The performances aren't just great, they are 100% convincing. The characters aren't just well developed, they are 100% real people, more so than many actual people I've met. The direction and cinematography aren't anything special, but they don't need to be, as any unusual tricks would only have served as distractions from the film's absolute realism.

Every relationship is essentially the same. We are mountains for eachother desperately seeking meaning in our Sisyphusian existence. Once again Bergman playing god with his petty subjects.

Powerful, real and often brutal, Bergman creates two characters that you will relate with no matter who you are. The acting is of course top-notch, and the camerawork is so subtle, you will actually forget you are watching a film. No other piece of cinema has affected me as much as this.

On infidelity. This is the greatest movie of the 1970s, and in a sense captures the essence of that decade. It is the greatest depiction of a relationship onscreen, and probably the greatest ever record of actors' performances. One of the greatest films of all time is a TV series! A singular achievement. Slightly more extended discussion here (from 1999): https://www.academia.edu/13143431/Scenes_from_a_Marriage_1999_ Re-watched: August 2021.

Lip-knawingly real. The complexes of life, love, and intellect. No one is safe, least so the viewer. The script of a wise man.

Yet another powerful work from Bergman. The things these characters say to each other ring so true... they're conversations that you've had, or at least feel you've had or could have. Amazing performances, too.

(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!

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.

Two of the best performances I've ever seen. Bergman is absolutely brilliant. Almost definitely the best relationship in the history of the cinema (so far as one can really make that claim).