DVD Review: Wife, The (B)

The Wife (1995)
Directed by Tom Noonan
Starring Karen Young, Wallace Shawn, Julie Hagerty and Tom Noonan
MPAA: R
Grade: B

Review by Scott Standish

Okay I know this is simplistic, but here's a quick breakdown of this movie: It's What About Bob meets Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. Like both of those classic? Then you will love the darkly funny comedy The Wife.

Julie Haggerty (Rita) and Tom Noonan (Jack) are a married couple that runs a psycho-therapy/support group. They are relaxing at home one night when a neurotic patient and his high strung wife show up uninvited. The patient, Cosmo (Shawn), really doesn't want to be there but his "wifey" Arlie (Young) has heard so much about the group that she forced him to drive them there to meet them.

The tile character is pushy, definitely a bit unstable and she keeps flirting with Jack. Jack keeps flirting back. Tensions run high, the booze starts to flow and everyone starts taking shots at each other.

The writing is very good and the acting is solid, especially the performance by "the wife" Karen Young. Written and directed for the stage (and screen) by Tom Noonan, The Wife is a unique dark comedy. Give it a chance, especially if you like tense dramatic comedies.

Buy The Wife On DVD From Amazon