The Story of Us (1999)

One of the several new movies opening this weekend is the comedy farce Three to Tango. In this ultralight vehicle Matthew Perry plays a partner in architectural firm. His partner is played by the ubiquitous Oliver Platt (A Time to Kill, Indecent Proposal, The Three Musketeers). To make a thin story short, Perry and Platt really need the multi-million dollar project they are bidding on. The millionaire who will fund the contract (played by Dermot Mulroney) needs someone safe to keep an eye on his mistress. Due to a misunderstanding, Mulroney thinks Perry is gay (actually Platt is gay). Perry is commissioned to be the chaperone who must avoid falling in love with his charge (Neve Campbell). He does. So does she. What a mess!And what a mess just about says it all. The only stroke of genius here is in the casting. The two main characters are one-dimensional caricatures. Fortunately, the casting director was able to find two actors who have become real-life one-dimensional caricatures (Perry and Campbell). The real tragedy here is that there are some great supporting actors relegated to mindless supporting roles. I usually divide movies into categories: see it at the theater, wait for the video, or wait for it to come on television. This film deserves a whole new category--wait until you find someone that needs to be tortured.The good news is that there is another film playing that, while a bit light and predictable, is also charming and witty with some great performances. The Story of Us is directed by Rob Reiner (When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, Princess Bride). Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer play a middle-aged couple who have lost that lovin' feeling and don't know what to do about it. The plot line is predictable, but there are some great scenes along the way, and some witty lines scattered throughout. Rita Wilson has one of the more memorable scenes as she skewers thoughtless males everywhere. There are some wonderful montage sequences with great accompaniment by Eric Clapton.The Story of Us is not great art, but it is a timely story told with a wonderfully wry sense of humor and some excellent pacing throughout. Willis and Pfeiffer are at their charming best, and it is worth sitting through the entire movie just to see Michelle Pfeiffer's speech at the end of the film. If you are trying to choose between these two films, the choice is clear. Reiner's The Story of Us is a solid triple while Three to Tango strikes out with just three pitches.

The Story of Us (1999): Dir: Rob Reiner / Cast: Bruce Willis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rob Reiner, Rita Wilson, Tim Matheson: Drama about the endurance of relationships that might have worked had the couple not argued over the stupidest things. We could probably find quicker solutions to the dilemmas Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer face here. Instead their marriage is in pearl because they lack good communication skills. The film analyzes their marriage from the day they met to the birth of their children up to the problems they face now. She believes he is having an affair when she completely misunderstood and unable to take responsibility for her actions. Depressing and predictable directed by Rob Reiner who does his worst but this sort of theme is more appealing in his When Harry Met Sally. This ranks as one of his less appealing films. Willis and Pfeiffer bicker for two hours. He gets depressed while she takes up cooking and opens opportunity for an affair herself. An opening phone conversation where they talk over loud noise is completely contrived. In idiotic supporting roles are Reiner as Willis's advice giving friend and Rita Wilson who overacts as Reiner's wife. Tim Matheson is a complete waste as the potential new man in Pfeiffer's life. We yearn for his great comic work in Animal House where he was awesome. Strong marriage theme takes too long to arrive at the obvious point. Score: 4 / 10

This film is about a couple going through hard times in a marriage, and how they repeatedly tries to salvage their marriage.I was hoping for a romantic comedy, or at least a comedy. My expectations turned out to be entirely misplaced. The film features continuous tirade of arguments, screaming and crying. Amazingly, there is really no break in between. Every emotion in the film is negative, including the minor characters such as the attitude towards annoying tourists in Venice and the attitude to Bruce Willis' confidant. Though it can be said that the film portrays emotions very well, but seriously I look for escapism from reality when I watch a film.

No movie can be greater than the one as real as not a movie. It is unique enough to be believed. It goes beyond the masterpiece, it's the only one you can watch it everyday. It wasn't a movie about how great it is or how meaningful it can be. It is one of a kind that we all know about but couldn't solve it. It's a psychological myth in any relationship. Love is really a mystery. In this movie with no judgments, but exploring to our interrelationship to the maximum level. From the movie, I realized that the magic of love makes people believe and disbelieve as well.Love is much more complicated than the definitions you can find in the dictionary. I love this movie incredibly cause it wasn't an acting. It made me all out. It's pure.