The Lovers

The Lovers

Year: 2017

Runtime: 97 min

Language: English

Director: Azazel Jacobs

Echo Score: 71

Budget: $50M

Comedy

A long-married couple, played by Tracy Letts and Debra Winger, finds their passionless marriage heading towards divorce. Unexpectedly, a spark reignites their relationship, leading them to impulsively begin an affair. This reckless decision throws them into a humorous and chaotic situation as they attempt to navigate the complications of infidelity and the relationships they’ve recently established.

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In a quiet suburban world where routine masks deeper disquiet, a long‑married pair teeter on the brink of separation. Their home, filled with the familiar hum of everyday life, becomes a subtle stage for the unspoken tension that has settled between them. The tone balances a gentle melancholy with a wry, almost tender humor, hinting that even the most routine relationships can spark unexpected fire.

Mary and Michael have spent years building a life together, yet their connection has dulled to a polite distance. Each carries the weight of personal longing, hinted at through glimpses of separate confidences: Robert, a lover from Mary’s past, and Lucy, who occupies Michael’s thoughts. Their adult son, Joel, and his girlfriend, Erin, orbit the couple, adding another layer of familial expectation and quiet observation.

A sudden, impulsive kiss shatters the careful detachment, reigniting a chemistry that both surprises and unsettles them. This rekindled spark propels the pair into a daring, spontaneous affair that feels both reckless and oddly liberating. As they navigate this renewed intimacy, the film swirls with comedic moments and chaotic energy, portraying the absurdity and vulnerability that surface when long‑standing partners step back into each other’s orbit.

The story is less about resolution than about feeling; it captures the delicate balance between affection, frustration, and the stubborn pull of shared history. Through nuanced performances and a restrained yet lively visual style, the film paints a portrait of love that is simultaneously familiar and disorienting, inviting the audience to linger in the quiet spaces where desire and doubt coexist.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 16:53

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