The Wife (2017) | agoodmovietowatch
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The Wife 2018

A tense drama illustrating the saying "behind every great man is a great woman"

Our Take (by Sonia Botsarova)

Directed by the award-winning Swedish filmmaker Bjorn Runge and adapted by Jane Anderson from Meg Wolitzer’s 2003 novel, The Wife has enjoyed great acclaim since premiering at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. The film follows the growing tension between acclaimed author Joseph Castleman and his wife Joan, who works as his secret ghostwriter, as Joseph is set to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. The direction is clean and careful with Glenn Close giving possibly one of the finest performances of her career as the supportive then increasingly resentful Joan. Emotional and funny at times, The Wife is a profound character exploration, celebrating womanhood and liberation.

Notable Critics

"An intelligent drama that treats its disempowered heroine with the respect she deserves."

— Manuela Lazic

"By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned."

— Emily Yoshida

Synopsis

A wife questions her life choices as she travels to Stockholm with her husband, where he is slated to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Awards

Sundance

1 nomination

Nominated: Official Selection

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About the author

Sonia Botsarova

Sonia Botsarova is a film and culture writer who explores the intersections between cinema and geography in her work on A Reel Trip and Medium. Her writing focuses on world cinema, with particular interest in the cinemas of Central Asia and underrepresented regions.