‘The Wife’ Review: Glenn Close is the Cornerstone of the Film

On the surface, The Wife may look like your typical drama about an underappreciated wife who lives in the shadow of her successful husband, but as the film progresses a much deeper and complicated story unfolds with Glenn Close as its cornerstone. It’s a film that continues to build until its about ready to burst, and by that point you can’t take your eyes away from the screen.

Acclaimed novelist Joe Castleman (Jonathan Pryce) has just been awarded the highest praise he’s ever received; the Nobel Prize in Literature. Together with his wife Joan (Glenn Close) and son David (Max Irons), the family travels to Stockholm for the ceremony. Upon their arrival, as Joe is wined and dined, Joan looks back on her life and begins to question the choices she’s made, particularly in regards to a secret that she and her husband have been hidden for all their years together.

Glenn Close is always front and center, as the title may suggest. Even though it’s her husband who is getting the Nobel, this is without a doubt her film. She’s initially timid and willing to stay out of the spotlight of her husband’s event. It’s clear that she’s happy for him, but you can definitely tell from early on that there is something right below the surface that is itching to come out. When the revelation is revealed, Close blossoms with a newfound confidence, yet she’s still always supportive of her husband.

What I enjoyed about The Wife is that everything isn’t black or white. Joan can be in the spotlight and still be encouraging. It’s not one or the other as movies often portray. Joan and Joe’s relationship is no doubt complicated, and seeing everything unfold on screen, both the good and the bad, is what drives the film. Both Close and Pryce deliver wonderful performances, and the two play off each other fantastically.

The Wife, plain and simply put, tells a good story. It may not be Nobel worthy, but both Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce are doing some of the best work they’ve done in years. Stick with the film, and you’ll enjoy every minute of it.