Marriage App: A Film That Satirizes the Idea of Love as a Means of Quick Profit
The movie "Marriage App" suggests that affection is a means of quick profit. While love stories are a common theme in movies, films that focus on marriage itself are scarce compared to the vast amount of films produced worldwide.
Cinematic portrayals of love stories vary based on the diverse dramatic themes, but when it comes to marriage, comedies tend to dominate, with few leaning towards melodrama. However, some films tackle issues such as infidelity or doubts that arise between spouses.
"Marriage Story" (2019), directed by Noah Baumbach and starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, is one of the most popular movies that explores marriage stories. Baumbach drew from his personal experience in the industry to depict the breakdown of a marital relationship between two individuals who are both committed to preserving their family.
Austrian director and European cinema legend Michael Heineke's 2012 film "Love" portrays the emotions of love and the preservation of memories over many years by an elderly couple. When the wife becomes ill and loses her mental abilities, the husband takes care of her and maintains her dignity until the end.
In contrast, the Argentine director and actor's film "Marriage App," currently available on Netflix, depicts a society that is vastly different from its Austrian and American predecessors. Following the 1983 democratic transition, Argentine women were granted largely equal rights with men. However, this social change was accompanied by disturbances in self-awareness and recognition of otherness.
Marriage crisis:
The "Marriage App" storyline follows Frederick (Juan Minojín) and Belén (Louisiana Lopilato), who meet after a car accident. Frederick, a young dentist who loves cooking, decides that Belén will be his wife and pays for the repair of her car door that he smashed. Almost 14 years into their marriage and with two children on the verge of adolescence, the couple faces problems resulting from their evident differences. Belén is serious, committed, and organized, but not good at cooking, while Frederick is carefree, doesn't commit to his role in the family, and fails to take his work at his father's dental clinic seriously.
As the crisis escalates, they decide to visit Belén's sister and her husband, who are going through a similar rough patch. However, their meeting takes an unexpected turn when they discover an application that can help solve marital problems. The application awards a person miles to travel in exchange for good actions towards their partner, and deducts them for abusive behavior. Frederick and Belén decide to subscribe to the service, and their problems seem to be resolved as they become more in love with each other.
Despite the seriousness of their crisis, the film takes on a comedic tone, relying on visual irony rather than just verbal jokes. The two main characters exhibit a witty and agreeable spirit, and the directing captures the paradoxical scenes in a way that brings the characters to life.
The director doesn't seem to be biased towards one party, highlighting the turning point that spoiled the application and turned it into a competition for miles. The film also shows a prejudice towards the wife, who seems to have entered the game without accounts.
The screenwriters, Gabriel Correnfeld and Rocío Blanco, do not spend too much time building up the supporting characters. However, they present a unique idea that makes for a good film, even as a comedy.
Rationing love:
The film begins with a comical metaphor, portraying marriage as a car accident. Frédéric's car crashes into the open door of Belen's car, and they end up getting married. Frédéric had promised to pay for the expenses of repairing the door, but he forgets the due dates for their house bills and car insurance premiums. He also doesn't cook at home, and we see him enjoying cooking with his friends while Belen struggles to find decent food at home.
The film showcases how their marriage has been a lifelong crisis for Belen, not just a car door crash. As their marriage comes to an end, the film delves into human values, not just social values in Argentina.
The film attempts to redefine "marital affection" as an individual act that goes beyond being married to enjoy life alone, away from one's partner. The fictional application in the film awards miles as prizes to the partner who exhibits good behavior towards the other. However, the app fails to reveal the motives behind the behavior. The filmmakers also fail to realize that manufacturing good behavior perpetuates social hypocrisy and eventually leads to the sabotage of the relationship. Feelings and behavioral responses cannot be turned into goals themselves.
Children:
The call from the school revealed that the daughter had secretly filmed the father and mother and broadcast the story on social media. The two children remained observers without showing any reaction. Instead of addressing the situation, the couple raced to earn new miles in exchange for solving the problem and warned the daughter not to do it again.
The father and mother's behavior allowed a digital application to spy on their emotions and report to the company, which determined rewards. The daughter's live-streaming of the parents' behavior at home was a bigger disclosure than what the company received.
Despite being in a state of "modernity," the filmmakers reached the logical conclusion of exposing human relationships and the corruption of behavior and emotions. They pushed the two protagonists to discard the application and start repairing the car door, which was shattered during a marital accident.
This scene highlighted the danger of our increasing reliance on technology and the harmful effects it can have on our interpersonal relationships. It's a reminder that our need for convenience and validation should not come at the cost of our privacy and the well-being of those around us.
As the father and mother repaired the car door, they reflected on their behavior and realized the importance of being present in the moment and nurturing their relationships with their children. They vowed to be more mindful of their actions and to prioritize their family's needs over their own desires.
The children, on the other hand, learned the value of open communication and the importance of confronting problems instead of ignoring them. They promised to speak up when they notice something is wrong and to not be passive observers.
In the end, the family emerged stronger from this experience, with a newfound appreciation for each other and a commitment to maintaining a healthy and loving relationship. They realized that technology is not the answer to all of our problems and that sometimes, the solutions to our issues lie in our own hands.
