Thomas’s review published on Letterboxd:
Ingmar Bergman was married 5 times and had 4 divorces. Let´s just say, he was familiar with the topic.
I watched the theatrical version first, so that I can discover something new, when I later watch the miniseries (rather than missing something, if I would do it the other way around).
“Scenes from a Marriage” is one of Bergman´s most acclaimed works and deservedly so. Apart from his trademark intimate close-ups, there aren´t many visual flourishes here, as they would just distract from the important aspects. All Bergman needs for this timeless masterpiece are two world-class actors, Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson, and one of the best screenplays of all time. It´s amazing how two people talking which each other for almost 3 hours can be so enthralling and hypnotizing that I was never bored for even a moment. We witness the deterioration of a marriage, as two lovers slowly but surely grow apart, and this is as raw, painful, and brutally honest as it gets. This whole process is portrayed with patience and subtlety and without judgment (though the husband comes across worse than the wife, to be honest). Ullmann and Josephson are fully committed and carry the film with nuanced and emotive performances, playing fully realized and authentic characters. The dialogue is poetic, layered, and resonating, and the film features several emotionally hard-hitting standout scenes. Once again, Bergman proves to be a superb observer of human behavior as well as an insightful philosopher on human nature. It´s clear to see how “Scenes from a Marriage” influenced filmmakers such as Woody Allen, Richard Linklater, or Noah Baumbach, and its relevance can still be felt. Society and the institution of marriage might have changed during the last decades, yet I´m sure, not being married myself, that the film still hits close to home for many people.
