An Ensemble of Familiar Faces

Thirty years ago, Edward Burns won the coveted Grand Jury prize for his low-budget indie feature The Brothers McMullen at Sundance. The charming actor and filmmaker would go on to co-star in Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece Saving Private Ryan, guest-star in shows like HBO’s infamous Entourage (where the guys called him “Eddie”), and continue to shoot his own independent films throughout the years. His latest is Millers in Marriage, which, with its New York-set subject matter, might even bring you back to that acclaimed project that put Burns on the map three decades ago. If you haven’t seen The Brothers McMullen, that’s A-OK — and might even work in Burns’ favor.

Some of your favored and long-lost performers, both on the big and small screen, populate the ensemble Burns puts together for his new drama film out this week. And while some of these big names use their trademark perks to boost the film (i.e. Benjamin Bratt’s smoothness, Gretchen Mol’s arresting charm), others feel a bit miscast — as if the producers are hoping star power overshadows performance in these instances. Nevertheless, Burns offers some teaching moments for all those wedded couples out there whose rapports may be on the rocks. And who can resist the ever-wonderful co-star Morena Baccarin (Deadpool) as a femme fatale of sorts?

A Who’s-Who of Seasoned Delights

Three siblings. All middle-aged. All potential pumpkin-eaters? You be the judge. Let’s start with one of the eponymous Millers: Andy (Burns), recently divorced, now dating the bright and charming Renée (Minnie Driver). The kicker? Andy’s gorgeous and seductive ex Tina (Baccarin) isn’t exactly out of the picture, now making drunken late-night visits back to Andy’s residence (formerly theirs together) and even following up with repeated phone calls to Andy for the sake of “apologizing” (and maybe a bit more). How does Renée feel about Tina’s continued presence in Andy’s world? Take a wild guess.

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Then there’s Andy’s sister Maggie (The Good Wife Emmy-winner Julianna Margulies), a successful novelist living tucked away outside New York City with her writer hubby Nick (Campbell Scott). He seems forever jaded by his career’s lack of momentum — especially opposite his ever-popular wife’s. And ever since they moved out of the Big Apple to their quaint little neighborhood, Maggie has conveniently kept in touch with charming local lad Dennis (Brian d’Arcy James), who had shown her around town back in the day and has since grown closer — to the extent where their now-sexually charged rapport is kept in secret from Maggie’s actual life partner Nick. Uh oh…

Gretchen Mol Is Charming & Patrick Wilson Is Despicable

Finally, there’s Andy and Maggie’s sister Eve (Gretchen Mol), the most appealing of the Miller trio (despite Burns’ household charisma). Eve is a talented singer and guitarist who gave up her promising career in California to raise a family across the U.S. with aging music manager Scott (Patrick Wilson, in his least likable role to date). Eve is the one who kicks off Burns’ small-scale ensemble film, trying to track down the recently sober Scott’s whereabouts in the opening sequence after he fails to return home from an out-of-town gig. And when her husband does stumble into their house in the city and immediately hits the bottle, we frown and can see where this troubled dynamic is headed.

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Luckily, there’s a sort of bright spot who turns up in Eve’s life around this time, in the form of old flame Johnny (the always suave Benjamin Bratt), a music critic who once bashed Scott’s band and now wants to reconnect for an interview with him. And when the increasingly angry-drunk Scott wants no part in it, Johnny decides to cozy up with Eve instead. What starts as a friendship that has easily re-sparkled soon snowballs into something more erotic, leading the conflicted Eve into the ultimate midlife crisis…

East Coast Blues Woven Through Time

In some respects, Millers in Marriage feels like a grown-up, spiritual sequel to Burns’ The Brothers McMullen, given that the foundation is more or less the same: three adult siblings grappling with the complexities of their full-on relationships. Yes, a commitment, not just a fleeting partner. Burns’ O.G. indie film dazzled with its relentless New England charm that made viewers laugh out loud throughout.

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The indie filmmaker has taken a more melancholic approach with his New York-set project. Fans of the dance-rock band LCD Soundsystem might recall the song “New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down” once the Millers in Marriage end credits roll. It’s no wonder one of the Millers in focus yearns for a past life on the opposite coast throughout her journey.

There’s no denying that Burns’ talents behind the lens continue to shine through despite the drawbacks of Millers in Marriage. His clever use of flashbacks is seamlessly woven in to flesh out each principal character’s backstory in this mini-ensemble, with the blink-and-you-miss-it cuts across time almost reminiscent of Kenneth Lonergan.

Unresolved Threads in an Otherwise Fine Indie

Unfortunately, some story beats come out of nowhere or are weirdly handled. For example, Eve’s debauched husband Scott has a drunken public episode that never gets re-addressed. Separately, the wise Johnny’s smoothness is somewhat betrayed at a pivotal moment or two, upsetting his previously established arc.

Also, Margulies (The Morning Show), who is usually so magnetic, feels a bit rigid in her melancholic role as Maggie. We know the award-winning performer can be effectively sharp as nails, so fans may feel let down by her sort of mundane on-screen presence here as well. But if you’re already a fan of Burns, it’s certainly worth tuning into this new independent effort, and hope the next one is better. From Republic Pictures, Millers in Marriage will be released in theaters and on digital Friday. You can pre-order it on YouTube through the link below:

Watch on YouTube