Marie and Bruce

Set in a contemporary urban milieu, the events feel rooted in late-20th-century city life. The everyday scenes—lunch with a friend, a dinner party—underscore a mood where romance, jealousy, and performance intersect with modern social norms.

New York City serves as the modern, impersonal backdrop for an intimate marital drama. The story unfolds across sleek high-rises, a sunlit field encountered via a guiding dog, and a restaurant where tensions peak. The urban setting acts as a stage for private emotions to collide with public performance.

🎭 Performance

The film uses Marie’s fourth-wall breaks and the couple’s public/private paradox to show how love can feel like a performed act. Domestic moments are filtered through sharp narration and stylized dialogue, suggesting that sincerity is often masked by social expectations. The narrative examines how people curate themselves for others, rather than being fully truthful.

💔 Jealousy

Marie’s jealousy is sparked by Bruce’s attentions to others and the sense that she is being eclipsed by his charm. Bruce’s flirtations and the memory of a fantasy create unease, highlighting how insecurity and desire collide in a fragile marriage. The tension between longing and fidelity drives the emotional core of the story.

🗨️ Communication

Dialogue alternates between biting narration and muted silences, illustrating how words fail to bridge distance between partners. The fourth-wall moments complicate trust, revealing how perception can differ from reality. The film maps how confession, miscommunication, and performative talk shape a relationship’s trajectory.

🌊 Dreams and Surrealism

Dreamlike sequences and shifts between reality and whimsy punctuate the narrative, creating a sense of fluid identity and perception. These moments echo the characters’ inner turmoil and longing, blending domestic critique with surreal imagery. The surreal transitions question what is real in love and what is simply imagined.