State of the Union (2019)

Matt Roush says...

Can this marriage be saved? Should it? These questions linger throughout the 10 episodes of writer Nick Hornby’s romantic-dramedy anthology, with each brisk 10-minute chapter airing nightly on SundanceTV. (The entire season can be binge-watched in one satisfying gulp on AMC+ and Sundance Now.) Marvelously and sensitively acted by Brendan Gleeson and Patricia Clarkson, this is the story of Scott and Ellen, a well-off Connecticut couple whose 30-year marriage appears to be on the rocks. In each episode, they meet in a trendy coffee shop before heading upstairs for marriage counseling. Their poignant conversations over the weeks shed light on how they drifted apart and why Ellen felt she had no choice but to rock Scott’s world by asking for a divorce. He eventually realizes, “I can’t just go on being me, not if I want to stay married to you,” but is it too little too late?

What's Worth Watching (Feb 14)