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IMDbPro

The Wife

  • 2017
  • R
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
41K
YOUR RATING
Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce in The Wife (2017)
Joan Castleman (Glenn Close) is the perfect devoted wife. Forty years spent sacrificing her own talent, dreams and ambitions to fan the flames of her charismatic husband Joe (Jonathan Pryce) and his skyrocketing literary career. Ignoring his infidelities and excuses because of his "art" with grace and humor. Their fateful pact has built a marriage upon uneven compromises and Joan's reached her breaking point. On the eve of Joe's Nobel Prize for Literature, the crown jewel in a spectacular body of work, Joan's coup de grace is to confront the biggest sacrifice of her life and secret of his career.
Play trailer2:26
18 Videos
99+ Photos
Drama

A wife questions her life choices as she travels to Stockholm to see her husband receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.A wife questions her life choices as she travels to Stockholm to see her husband receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.A wife questions her life choices as she travels to Stockholm to see her husband receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.

  • Director
    • Björn Runge
  • Writers
    • Jane Anderson
    • Meg Wolitzer
  • Stars
    • Glenn Close
    • Jonathan Pryce
    • Max Irons
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    41K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Björn Runge
    • Writers
      • Jane Anderson
      • Meg Wolitzer
    • Stars
      • Glenn Close
      • Jonathan Pryce
      • Max Irons
    • 254User reviews
    • 197Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 19 wins & 28 nominations total

    Videos18

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:26
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    S P C Logo
    Clip 1:59
    Watch S P C Logo
    S P C Logo
    Clip 1:33
    Watch S P C Logo
    S P C Logo
    Clip 1:11
    Watch S P C Logo
    S P C Logo
    Clip 1:39
    Watch S P C Logo
    S P C Logo
    Clip 1:21
    Watch S P C Logo
    S P C Logo
    Clip 1:36
    Watch S P C Logo
    S P C Logo
    Clip 1:43
    Watch S P C Logo
    The Wife: Star Of The Big Show
    Clip 1:35
    Watch The Wife: Star Of The Big Show
    The Wife: The Chapter In Our Lives
    Clip 1:39
    Watch The Wife: The Chapter In Our Lives
    The Wife: Elaine Mozell
    Clip 1:20
    Watch The Wife: Elaine Mozell
    The Wife: Move On Nathaniel
    Clip 1:11
    Watch The Wife: Move On Nathaniel

    Photos281

    Jack Rowan at an event for The Wife (2017)
    Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce in The Wife (2017)
    Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce in The Wife (2017)
    Glenn Close in The Wife (2017)
    Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce in The Wife (2017)
    Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce in The Wife (2017)
    Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce in The Wife (2017)
    Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce in The Wife (2017)
    Glenn Close and Nick Fletcher in The Wife (2017)
    Christian Slater, Glenn Close, and Jonathan Pryce in The Wife (2017)
    Glenn Close in The Wife (2017)
    Glenn Close in The Wife (2017)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Glenn Close
    Glenn Close
    • Joan Castleman
    Jonathan Pryce
    Jonathan Pryce
    • Joe Castleman
    Max Irons
    Max Irons
    • David Castleman
    Christian Slater
    Christian Slater
    • Nathanial Bone
    Harry Lloyd
    Harry Lloyd
    • Young Joe
    Annie Starke
    Annie Starke
    • Young Joan
    Elizabeth McGovern
    Elizabeth McGovern
    • Elaine Mozell
    Johan Widerberg
    Johan Widerberg
    • Walter Bark
    Karin Franz Körlof
    • Linnea
    Richard Cordery
    Richard Cordery
    • Hal Bowman
    Jan Mybrand
    Jan Mybrand
    • Arvid Engdahl
    Anna Azcárate
    Anna Azcárate
    • Mrs. Lindelöf
    • (as Anna Azcarate)
    Peter Forbes
    • James Finch
    Fredric Gildea
    • Mr. Lagerfelt
    • (as Fredrik Gildea)
    Jane Garda
    Jane Garda
    • Constance Finch
    Alix Wilton Regan
    Alix Wilton Regan
    • Susannah Castleman
    Nick Fletcher
    Nick Fletcher
    • King Gustav
    Mattias Nordkvist
    • Dr. Ekeberg
    • Director
      • Björn Runge
    • Writers
      • Jane Anderson
      • Meg Wolitzer
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Annie Starke, who plays the young Joan, is the daughter of Glenn Close.
    • Goofs
      The Lucia celebration is on the morning of the 13th of December, the Nobel prize ceremony is held on the 10th of December so the time-line is wrong.
    • Quotes

      Joan Castleman: I am a kingmaker.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Glenn Close/Finn Wolfhard/Lauv (2018)
    • Soundtracks
      Everything's Just So Fine
      Performed by Dominic Halpin

      Written by Dominic Halpin

      Published by King of Cups Music (BMI)/Dominic Halpin (APRA)

      Courtesy of Noma Music & Capp Records Inc.

    User reviews254

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    An orginal tale of mid-life self-discovery
    The Wife (2017) could be described as just another midlife self-discovery film, although with more originality and powerful acting than many. It can also be seen as a feminist essay about being true to oneself, a story of fabricated prestige in the literary world, and a tale of arrogant deceit that holds a marriage together. It's bigger triumph, however, lies in the way it blends all of these into a tense black comedic drama based on the extraordinary acting power of the duo Glen Close and Jonathan Price.

    The core plot is simple: a long-term marriage full of simmering tensions is brought to the boil when the husband wins the Nobel Prize for literature while 'the wife' looks on in smiling silence. Professor Joe Castleman has become accustomed to being feted for his literary greatness and has even been described as a reinventor of the novel form. The opening scenes are emotionally supercharged: a phone call from Norway in the middle of the night, joyful close-ups on Joe and Joan hearing the news, each processing it in completely different terms. Joe's arrogance is elevated by the news, while Joan's tolerance for his deceit, philandering, and belittling her as 'the wife who does not write' inches closer to breaking point.

    The news of his Prize triggers interest from a persistent freelance biographer who begins asking questions about Joan's own early writing career and the authorship of her husband's work. Marital tensions and professional conceits intersect and escalate as they approach the Nobel Prize ceremony, with their secret dangerously close to becoming public. Framed as a domestic relationships drama, the narrative moves slowly in a dialogue-rich film that records the personal journey of two intelligent and articulate people travelling in different directions.

    So much can be conveyed through a husband's use of the phrase "The Wife". It might be used as a derisive avatar or a cartoon nagger but not a respected equal. It is at this level that The Wifeexerts its power to show how patriarchy can entrap a willing victim until its innate fragility is exposed. Yet a simple exit from the marriage is not easy, as Joe and Joan really love each other. Too many dramas immerse such themes in clichés and hyperbole, but a tour de forceperformance by Glen Close takes this one to different level.

    Excellent filming, a clever script, uncluttered editing, and a nomination-worthy performance by Close gives this film a clear voice for the demographic it addresses. The feminist discourse for older women speaks in a different filmic language than what is current for others, so this is not a film for all. But its laser-precise message is targeted at everyone.
    helpful•180
    30
    • CineMuseFilms
    • Jun 19, 2018

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 28, 2018 (United Kingdom)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Sweden
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Site - Silver Reel
      • Official Site - Tempo Productions
    • Languages
      • English
      • Swedish
    • Also known as
      • La esposa
    • Filming locations
      • Hutchesons' Hall, Ingram Street, Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK
    • Production companies
      • Silver Reel
      • Meta Film
      • Anonymous Content
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $9,601,092
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $108,284
      • Aug 19, 2018
    • Gross worldwide
      • $19,978,189
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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