I walked into Splitsville with pretty low expectations. And the reason for that is Dakota Johnson. I have to be honest, she’s one of the most wooden actresses, and I just can’t get into her films. I don’t know what it is about her, but she just doesn’t do it for me on screen.
However, there’s a definite silver lining to this film. The script was co-written by the two stars of the film, Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin, with Covino also directing. Their chemistry on screen is truly what makes the entire movie.
The story is about a guy whose wife asks for a divorce. He then leans on his friends for support, only to discover their marriage isn’t so grand because they have an open relationship. As you can imagine, this is where things hit the fan and a whole bunch of chaos happens.
The film feels like a ping-pong match; it’s all over the place at times, but I didn’t mind it. I actually laughed out loud, especially during the beginning of the movie. There’s a particular scene between Michael’s character and Kyle’s character, Paul and Carrie, where they’re fighting, and it’s so well done and just hilarious. It made me think, “Wow, this is a great comedy coming back.”
Overall, it’s a solid film. At times it felt a little over the top and absurd. By the end, it lost its luster for me, but it’s still worth watching.
I’m giving Splitsville a solid 3 out of 5 stars. I probably would have given it more if the character of Julie, played by Dakota Johnson, was played by someone else.
If you’re looking for a solid film with some great laughs and a fantastic on-screen duo, check out Splitsville.
