The Film THE WIFE based on Meg Wolitzer's book Stars Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce

THE WIFE is psychological combat between husband & wife where the husband assumes the spoils while his brilliant, beautiful wife toils.  Did she or didn't she that is not really the mystery to unravel.  Meg Wolitzer's combustible novel of domestic intrigue between a college prof. and star pupil taken to  a relationship outside the classrooms.  Starting at Smith College in the 50s it's a foregone conclusion illicit sex leads to domestic bliss that somehow goes somewhat amiss.  The literary prof., Joe Castleman (Jonathan Pyrce) meets his muse, Joan (Glenn Close) in his class of all women.  Joe & his wife have just had a baby.  Joe tests Joan by asking if she's free on Saturday night & then secures her as a babysitter.  Joan consents & then confides to the infant she's watching she's falling in love with  her daddy.  By semester's end, so does Joe's marriage and the enduring long lasting marriage between Joe & Joan entwines into a partnership that blurs the lines.  The young Joan is played beautifully by Annie Maude Starke, Close's real life daughter.  The young Joe is portrayed by Max Irons, son of actor Jeremy Irons.  Here the talent didn't fall far from the tree.  Both Starke and Irons are magnificent in their roles as the adoring wife and unsettled son.  Both Close & Pyrce give Oscar worthy performances as the steely & sacrificing wife and the narcisstic overindulged husband.  Nathaniel (Christian Slater) plays a probing journalist/biographer who has a hunch that hubby isn't the brains behind the Nobel winning literary outpouring.  The movie flashes between the young couple struggling financially in the 50's to a mature couple living in a magnificent ocean side mansion. They've had 3 children and a grandchild on the way.  The night before the call to the winning writer of the Nobel Prize, Joe is fidgety and persuades his wife to have sex as a distraction, "You don't have to do anything, just lie there."  When the call comes in the morning Joan is on the other extension listening as Joe is congratulated & bestowed his award.  Joan's expression is both ecstatic & enigmatic.  Joe asks his wife to confirm this prestigious honor is real.  She assures him "It's all real darling."  Once the two are ensconced in the frigid Norwegian country the clarity of their relationship reaches a frozen pinnacle on the verge of cracking.  A writer needs to write and actors need to act.  The acting bounces off the pages of Wolitzer's brilliant book.  Under the keen eye of Swedish director Bjorn Runge the story demands to be seen on the screen.  The calls will be flooding in for Close & Pyrce come awards season.