#REVIEW: “SPLITSVILLE”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

When Ashley (Adria Arjona) asks for a divorce from her soft-spoken husband Carey (Kyle Marvin), he runs to his friends, the ‘happily’-married Julie and Paul (Dakota Johnson and Michael Angelo Covino), for support. It’s at their lavish home where Carey learns the secret to their ‘happiness’: an open marriage. But when Carey crosses the line, it throws all of their relationships into chaos.

There’s never been a Rom-Com quite like Splitsville. It’s a Satire about how marriages can stand the test of time. Heavily alluding to the fact that both parties in the marriage have to sacrifice something for the other. Sometimes love makes us do things we don’t necessarily want to do. But we do them for our partners. Possibly even to keep our partners with us. In this case, it’s the extreme: an open marriage.

Co-Writers Covino and Marvin have infused the Script with Screwball Comedy that allows the themes room to breathe. There is a running segment where Carey and Paul physically fight each other in the lavish home Julie and Paul own. Throughout this scene, they break expensive decor and make comments on the price point. It’s moments like these where the Comedy shines. However, there are times when the gags get a little farcical.

They’ve found the perfect Cast to play opposite one another. Johnson and Arjona bring emotional depth to their characters that grounds the Film. Johnson has the power to convey emotional subtleties with nothing other than her eyes. She exposes the pain and anxiety that this marriage has enveloped Julie in. Therefore, it allows audiences to understand Julie’s decisions. Arjona is a powerhouse portraying the independent Ashley. She looks like she’s having the time of her life, relishing in the freedom of her firecracker character.

The first two acts of the Film are strong. Witnessing these two marriages collapse, repair, and at times remain suspended in a marital purgatory is enthralling to watch. Yet, the end of the Film doesn’t leave us with any definitive answers. Albeit, these characters are all written to be quite indecisive when it comes to their emotions. So, it makes sense that they don’t have answers, just as we don’t.

Overall, Splitsville is a satirical Screwball Romantic-Comedy about marital woes with a healthy slice of emotional depth.

Elevation Pictures release SPLITSVILLE on Friday, August 29, 2025.