The Lovers (I) (2017) User Reviews

Love and Marriage

[bmennen · 7/10 · 21 May 2017]

The only other review so far (by Bastille above) is on the money. He does a good job of describing the acting, script, etc. I would like to add another point, however: it also cleverly examines the issues of love, marriage, lust, and sex and how they are intertwined...or not.

Very creative.

Enjoyable romantic comedy for adults

[jmc4769 · 7/10 · 30 May 2017]

Despite all of the negative reviews you may have seen on Rotten Tomatoes, this intelligent, character-driven, romantic comedy is well worth seeing. I don't know–maybe all of those naysayers are young adults. But if you are over 50, The Lovers is a refreshing change of pace from the usual multiplex fare. Sure, it has its flaws. There is no backstory whatsoever for any of the characters. And yes, the symphonic music can be intrusive at times. The score reminds you of movies from the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Also, the movie is a little stagy (lots of dialog), if you consider that to be a drawback, which I don't.

So much for nitpicking. The Lovers has plenty of romance and a little lighthearted comedy. But it also explores serious themes like affairs, divorce, and relationships with grown children. The acting is outstanding, especially Debra Winger and Tracy Letts. Jessica Sula is so good as the daughter-in-law that I wanted to see her in more scenes. She has an unusually naturalistic way of acting and a buoyant personality that lights up the screen. I hope she has a long, successful career ahead of her. Others have mentioned the ending and I too would have preferred something different. There is a lovely romantic scene near the end that could have brought tears to your eyes if the movie had ended right there. I will have to admit, though, that there is a pretty cool final twist after that scene.

"Messed-Up" People

[lavatch · 5/10 · 2 August 2017]

At a key juncture in the film "The Lovers," the character of Mary played by Debra Winger exclaims, "We're messed up, but we're not bad people." At least one character in the film, Joel, who is the son Mary and her husband Michael (Tracy Letts), punches a hole in the wall in the family home and turns into a bull in a china stop because he genuinely feels that his parents are bad people.

The DVD format of "The Lovers" includes a lengthy bonus segment entitled "A Complicated Passion--Making the Lovers." Writer-director Azazel Jacobs explains that the film "came out of a strange period of my life." In his attempt to devise an autobiographical film, Jacobs saw the family home as a kind of theatre with the characters self-consciously "putting on an act."

Indeed, the film has the feel of a work of theatre in primarily a four-character play. The dramatic tension is built between a husband and wife who are both having affairs and contemplating ending their marriage. Much of the dialogue is sentimental, anticipating a reconciliation of Mary and Michael.

The two lovers of the married couple, a ballet instructor and a strange man who appears to be a wannabe actor, both approach the respective husband and wife at one point, warning about the impending break-up. It was in those disturbing moments that the film began to get truly ugly.

A major problem with this film was whether this was a romantic comedy, a dark-edged drama, or a domestic tragedy. Actress Debra Winger offered a pinpoint analysis in the bonus segment when she confessed that "chaos is so overwhelming." While the film was successful in delivering the chaos of a middle-aged couple's troubled marriage, it was also a stylistic jumble as a slow-paced and rather depressing slice of life.

It's good to see the older folks getting it on.

[JohnDeSando · 24 May 2017]

"Writers are always writing about infidelity. It's so dramatic. The wickedness of it, the secrecy, the complications, the finding that you thought you were one person but you're also this other person." Alice Munro

Rare it is to see a romantic comedy about middle-aged couples whose marriage breakup is so realistically painful that I found myself fidgeting out of discomfort at the very-human acts. The Lovers, written and directed with a sure, quiet hand by Azazel Jacobs, is about those who love and those who discard love at the same time.

I hope I didn't mislead you into thinking this is a comedy in the laughs motif. Married Mary (Debra Winger) and husband Michael (Tracy Letts) shift between their lovers and their spouses like different courses at the same meal. The film is sometimes farcical, however, as when his emotionally-unstable lover, Lucy (Melora Walters), hisses like a witch at Mary but more tragic than comedic.

Unlike the traditional comedy, The Lovers is neither light nor humorous and has neither a cheery nor happy ending. That ending is perhaps too ambiguous for its own good but nonetheless true to the uncertainty of love. It does have a jaundiced eye about the sincerity of humans in their attempt to be faithful and caring.

What The Lovers has is a wickedly critical take on the state of true love, or on the ability of lovers to remain faithful. Although it took me a while to adjust to the realism cum farce, after a bit I saw that Jacobs had caught the restless heart of humanity, its ever-searching for love.

Jacobs leads us to a surprising ending in which the restless heart is not down for the count. Regardless of how you like the ending, it is sure to spark conversation; a line from The Crying Game and other places is in order: "Who knows the secrets of the human heart?"

Renewed Interest?

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 7/10 · 15 August 2017]

Hollywood loves to use a recurring theme when it comes to marriage. They seem to have this idea that the best way to solve marriage problems is to have an affair. I'm not sure if it's because there are so many failed marriages there or that there is so much rampant cheating going on there or what. But every so often a movie comes out pushing this idea. THE LOVERS is the newest example.

Michael and Mary (Tracy Letts and Debra Winger) are a middle aged couple for whom the spark has gone out of their relationship. Each day is filled with the same old same old, work, home, dinner, bed. Romance is a thing of the past. But they have something in common they aren't aware of. Both of them are having affairs.

Much of what I just wrote is assumed as we go along. The first moments of the film are of each individual with the person they are having an affair with. Both are promising that they are going to leave the other spouse but want to put it off until they have a chance to talk with their son who is coming home for the weekend from college.

Both are having affairs with what appear to be much younger people. In Michael's case it is a young ballet dancer. Of all the characters in the film she is the most irrational and explosive. She seems to have fits of rage that made me as a viewer wonder where the attraction came from unless it was all physical.

In the case of Mary her lover is a writer. While we witness to two romantically involved we also get to see that side of him. He discusses his writer's block with her and later in the film is reading something he's just written. Her attraction seems both physical and mental.

But something happens. One morning before their son comes home they wake in bed together, in that semi-groggy state of mind we all do in the morning, and without realizing just who they are with they kiss. Their eyes open, they both jump out of bed and begin getting ready for work. But as they do so they find themselves drawn to one another and jump back in bed.

Over the next few days both are dealing with this new sense of vigor and attraction to one another. At the same time their lovers are feeling ignored and threatened. It's not that they are aware of what has happened but they notice something is different. Each continues to put pressure on Michael and Mary to end it and be with them instead.

The story comes to a head when their son gets home. He's warned his girlfriend to expect them not to be a very caring couple. When he sees them together this way he isn't sure what to expect. Could it be that things have been straightened out? Could they have rediscovered what it was that drew them together in the first place? And will they stay or go? The movie is entertaining and well-made on all fronts. It's well shot and directed, moves along at a steady pace and never seems to drag. The acting is more believable than one would expect. It's good to see Winger back in front of a camera again since her output has decreased over the past 8 years or so. Perhaps the only thing that felt intrusive in the film was the music, odd since there is a whole segment in the extras about scoring this film. It's like the classic old movie melodramas where the tones rise and fall with the emotions on display. At time that got in the way of things for me.

The only other thing that bothered me was the fact that both seem to work at jobs where it's nothing for them to leave for hours at a time to have affairs or not come home on time on a near daily basis. Not only that their respective lovers have no problem showing up where they work with no reason to do so other than to see them. For me that made parts of the movie unbelievable.

Still, it is an interesting movie and will hold your attention start to finish. There are moments that might bring a tear to your eye and moments that will make you laugh out loud. And for many it will make you wonder if you don't pay enough attention to your spouse and show them that even after all this time there is still love between the two of you. With any luck that will be the thing that sticks with most viewers instead of thinking that sleeping with someone else will help your marriage.

Very edgy

[balbert-00919 · 6/10 · 30 November 2019]

I had high hopes for this. It wasn't run-of-the-mill until two things happened that made it jump the shark for me. The first was the behavior of the son, because we weren't sufficiently alerted by the script, and the rekindling of the couple, for me, should have been the finale, and it wasn't, which trivialized all that went before it. So, it left me very anxious, and that is exactly what I want less of. Still, interesting performances by Debra Winger and Terry Letts. Both were credible types for me, Terry more so. I think they evoke a feeling of "I know someone like that." This is why I watched to the end, but as I say, not satisfied.

a study of a troubled marriage

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 5 January 2020]

Debra Winger and her trademark scratchy voice star in The Lovers, with Tracy Letts. They are husband and wife, who are both having affairs. of course, they are both telling their own lovers that they are on the verge of divorce, but neither one seems to really want it to happen. everything moves SO slowly. the scenes between everyone are all too long and drawn out... in my life, when people are angry and arguing, they yell back and forth, and say things they don't mean. Here, the pauses are always SO long. and everyone keeps saying "i'm sorry". The story itself is fine... but this probably would have played better as a short film. its okay. written and directed by Azazel Jacobs; has won at several film festivals. on netflix.

Indie comedy is simplistic but entertaining.

[bastille-852-731547 · 7/10 · 13 May 2017]

This light, breezy comedy starring Debra Winger and Tracy Letts follows a husband and wife--both of which are having an extramarital affair. As the film progresses, they begin to discover clues and eventually find out that they are both seeing someone else. Through a clever incorporation of dramatic and situational irony throughout the narrative, viewers will learn what will happen to their marriage. The acting in the film is generally very good, as Winger and Letts play their roles with charisma and a solid amount of passion and effort. The script is generally well-written and very down-to-earth. At a relatively fleeting 94 minutes, the plot moves along swiftly and is generally paced quite well. The aesthetic technique of the film is very simple in nature, with a violin-based score and relatively few set pieces. None of that, however, takes away from the viewer's experience watching the film. However, I do have a few criticisms of the film. My biggest complaint is that the use of parallelism in scenes that trade off between depicting Winger's character and Letts' character was often distracting. Additionally, the climax and ending feels a little rushed. That said, this is a solid and enjoyable independent film. Recommended. 7/10

A Disappointment

[larrys3 · 5/10 · 1 August 2017]

Being of the older generation, I thought I would like this film more than I did.

Debra Winger and Tracy Letts are a married couple with each having an affair and continually postponing telling the other that they're leaving. Thus, they're also stringing along their lovers being unable to fully commit one way or the other. Somehow, this rekindles Winger and Letts' passion for each other sexually.

The movie is very slow-paced, has many awkward moments, but it does contain some deadpan humor that works at times. The film's characters are mostly unlikable and thus I was never really able to invest emotionally in them or really care what happened to them in the end.

Overall, a disappointment to me.

complicated love for the older set

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 21 September 2017]

Mary (Debra Winger) and Michael (Tracy Letts) are in a troubled marriage. They are trying to keep up appearance before the visit of their son and his girlfriend. Mary is having an affair with Robert (Aidan Gillen) and Michael with Lucy (Melora Walters). There may still be something in their marriage.

It's great to have Debra Winger back as a big screen lead. She still has flashes of the old fire. The love lives are muddled which makes them less compelling for me. I couldn't hold on to their marriage or wonder if I can root for its dissolution. The affair partners don't have enough screen time. I also wonder if concentrating on one lead would heighten the emotional impact. While it's nice to have the visit, the effects are not long lasting.

Not engaging

[peterguitar · 5/10 · 7 March 2021]

The slow paced ennui of a middle aged couple who have lost all passion for each other is how this movie starts. They each have the usual affair where each one is reluctant to tell the other mate that they are leaving the marriage. One night they go to bed in the standard back-to-back loveless position, but we see them wake up the next morning in each other's arms. As they simultaneously slowly wake they both look very pleased and affectionate until their eyes widen in horror when they realize who they really are embracing. The emotional spark from this leads to renewed passion for each other that sets up the second 2/3 of the movie. The rest of the movie is tedious beyond belief and the ending is no where near as clever as it thinks it is. I'm in the age group that other reviewers say the film should resonate with. Not even close.

Not for the multiplex demographic

[anthonyjlangford · 8/10 · 12 August 2017]

A middle age couple are in the throes of an affair. Both of them.

The subtleties of a middle age relationship will be wasted on the young. Having read the negative reviews here, there's no doubting the reviewer's age. They've completely missed the point. That's fine. It's not for them. I may have felt the same way, once.

For everyone else, this is subtle, poignant, witty, truthful and very funny. It takes you to places you expect, in a natural but charming way and then surprises you. It's a very delicate balance, pulled off beautifully by writer and director.

And what a superb cast. All four of the main parts are played to perfection. These are no hacks. A top notch class act. The Lovers is a wonderfully fresh film for a mature audience. About time.

Poor casting

[buzzardsjulie · 7/10 · 14 June 2021]

The lead male role was lacking in everything from looks to believability. A terrible role model for his son, not to mention the women craving his affection. If you have beautiful older ladies, why not have a decent looking man? John Lithgow would have played a better lead actor if you're going to choose someone with an ugly body. The ladies were gorgeous, the men...lacking in every way.

No real love here

[sfdphd · 4/10 · 19 October 2017]

I expected to enjoy this film because of the lead actors and the overall concept.

However, it turned out to be a disappointment. They all seemed so emotionally immature and all seemed to have such superficial relationships. The word "lover" did not really apply to any of them. The son had the most depth of feeling and the poor guy was obviously unloved too and trying to find something more with his girlfriend.

I felt sorry for every single person in this film. They all seemed pathetic. I'm not sure if that's what the writer meant to convey but I certainly did not enjoy this film. I think that none of these people knows what love is or how to give love or be loving. They're all just going through the motions and pretending they feel things they don't seem to feel.

I am so grateful that I have such a different experience of love and know what it is....

Funny and unexpected

[Red_Identity · 23 July 2017]

The premise of this film surely does it no favors. It sounds very much like a standard type of narrative when it's actually not. The way the film progresses in unexpected ways and it never feels forced or contrived. The performances are a testament to how natural it feels, but the screenplay is quite strong as well. Tracy Letts and Debra Winger are both very resonant and vulnerable when they need to be and they hit the various notes of the film in a pitch perfect way throughout. Someone else might have made this a complete melodrama and overblown but the film is anything but. This is highly recommended.

I expected better - but still enjoyable

[euroGary · 6/10 · 21 October 2017]

Debra Winger will forever be Wonder Girl to me, but of course she has assembled a comprehensive body of work since that early role back in the 1970s. One of her latest projects is 'The Lovers', in which she plays Mary, the distaff half of a middle-aged couple whose marriage seems to be on its last legs. Mary and her husband Michael (Tracy Letts) are perfectly civil to each other, but both are having affairs with younger people. A visit by their college student son Joel (Tyler Ross) seems as if it will provide the catalyst for a split, but then the unexpected happens: Mary and Michael fall back in love...

Winger does a lot of 'face acting' in this: much posing of the eyebrows. Unfortunately this makes it seem more like she is puzzling over a particularly difficult crossword clue than mourning the break-up of her decades-old marriage. Letts is more impressive, even if, every time I looked at him, I thought of John Lithgow. As Joel, Ross merely has to say "fuck" a lot. (Also, in one scene he punches through a wall, but his punch sounded more like a gentle love-tap - that house must be made of cardboard!)

While it is fitting - in the portrayal of a couple who have been together for decades - to say a lot without words, there are times when this film takes the concept too far: for instance, it is unclear just how much Mary and Michael know about each other's 'secret' lives; certainly when confronted by Michael's 'other woman' Mary is upset, but does not seem surprised. The eventual decision to split is also arrived at with hardly any discussion - I actually thought the showing I attended at the 2017 London Film Festival had left out a couple of scenes! Nonetheless, the film is good fun, was enjoyable to watch once and I shall probably watch it again.

Surprisingly good

[bergamo-90614 · 7/10 · 5 September 2017]

It is one of those movies that was surprisingly good. Very little dialogue, yet Winger and Letts manage to say a lot with just their expressions. The chemistry of these two actors is the glue that holds this movie. It is not flashy, it is no Officer and gentlemen, however, what it is a subtle character study of two damaged characters worn down by the constitution of marriage. Aiden Gillen is pretty much playing Little finger here. The last act is pretty brilliant when we are introduced tot he couple's son. Also, it has one of those smart endings that will make people think and debate. I hope WInger and Letts at least get a golden globe nod if they don't get and Oscar nod.

An OK low key drama

[851222 · 7/10 · 14 September 2017]

Greetings from Lithuania.

I was kinda excited to see "The Lovers" (2017) when i first heard that of the most brilliant and my favorite supporting actors around Tracy Letts is going to star in it. Trailer was pretty good also. But the movie itself didn't blow me away to say the least. It is an OK flick to see it once, it is a bit funny at the moments, but this is not a comedy to be sure nor its a very involving drama. But i liked acting by everyone involved and while the story isn't particularly fresh or exciting, script kinda left me till the end.

Overall, "The Lovers" is a movie which is difficult to love. Its not particularly well paced nor it has any "action", but its OK movie to see it once on some evening with maybe your couple involved.

Affairs

[angeliasampere · 7/10 · 2 August 2023]

My father cheated with my mom's so called friend and it was so horrible. I walked in my living room and dad was dancing with the neighbor down the street and my mom was dancing with her husband. It was the beginning of the end of my parents marriage. This movie reminded me of that horrible past. But this movie had a better ending than my parents. I would watch this again. It had humor and it had anger plus a wonderful lesson to be learned from the mistakes spouses make. Don't give up on your marriage and keep an have an open conversation between your spouse plus I believe in God so PRAY. It also had humor and strife with emotions and was realistic to me.

Will have a hard time finding an audience

[steven-leibson · 4/10 · 28 May 2017]

This movie starts out slow. It never gets much faster. I cannot fault the actors. Debra Winger and Tracy Letts could obviously have done far more with better material. As it is, we see a couple that has obviously fallen out of love with each other. Each has an active affair on the side and neither seems to be aware of or care about the other. The movie telegraphs a great climax taking place in the near future as the son (Tyler Ross) is due back from college with his girlfriend and both Mommy and Daddy think that's the perfect time to reveal their infidelity and end the marriage.

Although this movie is called a comedy in many reviews, it's just not that funny. It's also not that interesting. It's really hard to identify with these characters who have a great life, a great home in the LA suburbs, two good jobs, a great kid, and such empty lives. It's sort of like watching a poorly written Dante's Inferno. These people are in a Hell of their own making. We don't know why and we don't really care.

And He Scoooores!

[chrlsful · 7/10 · 3 June 2018]

Jacobs has grown w/each of his three films. Now this last one, the pinnacle, poises him on the edge of greatness. Will he make it? I'm betting against it, but adding my encouragement!

First it was excruciatingly slow, then it finished with a big dose of pretentiousness

[asc85 · 2/10 · 20 August 2017]

The critics loved this movie, and the premise seemed funny...a married couple who are both cheating on each other, rekindle their romance, and "cheat" on their lovers! Unfortunately, none of the promise of this plot was ever realized. The first half hour is excruciatingly slow, with hardly anything at all happening. Towards the end, when their adult child and his girlfriend come to visit them, it's not bad. But then everything falls apart, and the cheating husband gets on the house piano, and sings a song about love. Really.

Tracy Letts, who I used to like in Homeland, is way out of his league in this movie. It's interesting to see Debra Winger after all these years, but she does nothing to make this role "her own." Dozens of actresses her age could have played that part, and we wouldn't have seen any difference.

All in all, you'd be wise to skip this one. I sure wish I did.

GREAT Movie...bad ending...

[mrcaw12 · 8/10 · 6 November 2020]

Watched this movie last night on a subscription channel...no..not gonna give free publicity to it..lol...

Anyway, I thought the movie was great.

I'll have to check out the director's other movies too.

I've read through a lot of the previous reviews which guided me on what I might want to include in my review.

Hmmm, where to start?

Let's start with BUDGET. I'm sorry but there truly is only SO much you can show on a screen with a small budget. So, give the people involved with this movie a break is my attitude.

Slowness. Well, relative to what? The story the movie tells IS about moments of life being played out in real time. There are no action scenes as such. It's not a suspense movie, though oddly enough, there is a type of mystery to it. The mystery I found was trying to figure out was what conclusions had these people arrived at, before the movie unfolded. Yes, they're unhappy in their marriage right from the get go. Yes they're having affairs. But, are they 100% committed to divorcing...or not? And through the course of the movie what would happen to them to either change the direction of those decisions or not. I was never quite sure. For me as a movie goer, that's perfectly fine.

SURPRISES - The movie contained one of the best romantic scenes I've EVER seen between a husband and wife. It starts with their being asleep in bed, facing each other, lips practically touching. What transpires after that moment was incredible. Perfectly directed, Perfectly acted AND with minimal dialogue. Bravo to all concerned.

MESSINESS - A rare movie where all the leading characters (husband/wife & their respective lovers) really are all sort of muddled. At times I would like certain characters more than others and other times, I would find the same character irritating..emotionally immature, selfish, confused, trying to figure out who did they really love...all very messy and again, perfectly fine with me.

COMPARISONS - Interestingly enough, it touches on the same themes played out in IT'S COMPLICATED, a fun BIGGER BUDGETED studio movie starring Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin. I recall there's a touching moment in that movie when Alec Baldwin's second wife, sees Mr. Baldwin gazing at his first wife, Ms. Streep who is dancing with her boyfriend Steve Martin at a family party. The second wife watches Baldwin's character and see's the love he obviously feels for Streep's character. It was an unusual moment in film in that it showed a 2nd wife not being some horrible ogre but just a woman who is in fact, in love with her husband. The same sort of theme plays out in THE LOVERS, but in a different manner. It's not as obvious, but it's there.

ACTING - Debra Winger and Tracy Letts were both wonderful. Perhaps Mr. Letts got a touch more screen time or maybe it just felt that way because Ms. Winger has always been one of my favorite performers. I wanted more of her. But to be fair to Mr. Letts, he played his part very well. All the performers did great jobs including the two younger supporting players,Tyler Ross and Jessica Sula.

Interestingly enough, the two "lovers", played by Aiden Gillen & Melora Walters whose characters I decidedly did not like, really did do great jobs. I think one of the toughest roles for actors to play are ones the audience generally won't like. Viewers tend to (it's only natural) want the STARS to be our heroes, so I applaud how well they annoyed me yet at the same time, I couldn't help but "feel" for them well.

I don't want to get too heavily into the plot, other reviewers have done that already.

Suffice it to say that expect a movie that's played out in living rooms with some brief office scenes,,riding in cars, that sort of thing.

Lot of awkward moments between a husband and wife who are JUST on the edge of formally separating..that's what you're gonna get.

BUT and this is an important but, it's not a movie filled with hate, arguing. It's a couple, who I suppose take one more look at their romance and are surprised by what they feel.

WARNING - Be prepared for an ending that MAY piss you off. It did me. I don't want to get into too much detail about it, because then I'd be you know, spoiling the plot...I just felt there was an ELEMENT to the ending story line that I didn't find believable. And it's not that the ending challenged my expectation of what I WANTED to happen, I just didn't believe that the characters WOULD REASONABLY DO what the plot line has them doing. And again, I'm referring to ONE SPECIFIC action that's incorporated in the ending. This ending felt contrived and it was the only point in the film where I REALLY felt I was being manipulated by someone who felt THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE THAT POINT which I don't have a problem with. But in a story if you don't show at least a GLIMMER that a character would be comfortable with making that decision then it doesn't work. And again, this element which I thought was dumb is presented glibly as if the two characters had no problem with what they were doing yet throughout the movie, this same element is presented in a manner that shows they ARE conflicted about it. So for me, it was just a stupid choice they made. That being said, I thought it through and came to the conclusion that it would not change my opinion about the rest of the movie. And it was, a great, unusual movie.

ASIDE- Seek out the documentary : SEARCHING FOR DEBRA WINGER

It makes no sense whatsoever

[ambimom · 4/10 · 27 November 2017]

I love Debra Winger and lament the fact of her too few performances over the past few years. She was the reason I watched this dreck of a movie. It makes no sense whatsoever. Why didn't they admit to each other their dalliances? What was all the secrecy for? And the ending...all I can say is, as predictable as it was given the foregoing plot, oi vey is mere. The direction was watching ketchup flow, the writing was absurd bearing no relation to actual human behavior in the circumstance of boredom in marriage.

Oh my god why?

[meropikyriazi · 28 January 2019]

I thought this would escalate much better than it did. It had potential if given in a totally different way. Slow paced and disappointing. Too bad.