Matrimonial Chaos (2018)

Matrimonial Chaos is a Korean remake of Sakamoto Yuji's excellent Saikou no Rikon (The Best Divorce). Both stories center on two couples whose relationships are breaking down. The four principal characters are not particularly likable: Sook Moo is fastidious and fussy, his wife Hwi Ru is messy and inattentive, Yoo Young is detached and distant and Jang Hyun is an oblivious philanderer. Thus, the narrative relies on the charisma of the actors to keep the audience invested, and the four actors largely and, in some moments, spectacularly deliver on that difficult task.

The show is quite stagey: the major moments of this drama occur when two to four of the main characters are in a room together talking through their issues. I recommend watching through Ep. 8 (the fourth hour) if you wish to test this show out. If Bae Doo Nah's performance in the final scene of that episode does not move you, then this show is not for you.

The characters, performances and writing are uniformly superb throughout this drama. Even though all the characters are pretty difficult people, there are plenty of comedic moments to keep this drama from being a dire examination of failing marriages. There are plenty of surprises along the way, and many happy and light moments in addition to the more hurtful consequences of the failing relationships.

In the end, I preferred this version to the original. Sakamoto's script is more comedic, but Moon Jungmin's additions and changes to the story all tended to clarify and enhance the themes of the original. Furthermore, the supporting cast is definitely better in the Korean version. Moon Sook is radiantly beautiful and luminously wise in the role as the grandmother. And there are a couple of lovely romances going on with the side characters that help provide relief to the two main stories.

Matrimonial Chaos is a sharply observed investigation into the ways that people in relationship can get in the way of each other's happiness. It's a beautiful story of people learning to see each other for the first time all over again. It does not rest on the usual tropes of marriage as a happily-ever-after, but, instead, finds deep wisdom in the ways people still find to like each and learn to be for each other even when it's not easy to do so.

It is great. You should watch it.

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