Ethical non-monogamy. No doubt you’ve got a friend who has practiced it with their partner, or you’ve run into it while out on the dating scene. With more marriages ending in divorce than ever, it makes some sense to be a bit “loose” with the boundaries, as long as both sides are in on what’s going on and it isn’t just a vehicle for cheating. But I’ve always looked sideways at those who engage in open relationships because it can never be a level playing field, and I’m secure enough to admit that I’d have a much harder time finding a date than any woman I’ve ever been with. Jealousy, miscommunication, secrets, infidelity, they all come with the ENM package, and that’s what the hilarious comedy Splitsville shines a light on.
Splitsville comes from the duo of Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino. The longtime best buds and creative partners delivered one of the funniest movies in years with The Climb, a film that cut deep into the competitive nature between childhood buddies on a torturous uphill bike ride. The dynamic between Marvin and Covino, who also star, is roughly the same, but this time they get a fresh jolt of energy from the amazing Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona.
The first chapter, appropriately titled “Termination Event”, begins with the awkward Carey (Marvin) and his wife of just over a year, Ashley (Arjona), driving to their friends’ home for a getaway. It’s obvious that the spark between them is already gone, but she tries to get it back with some spontaneous sexy time behind the wheel. In one of many VERY dark comedic turns, the botched handjob becomes a traffic disaster that nearly kills them both. Ashley suddenly realizes that life is too short to waste, and she breaks up with Carey, who is shellshocked. It gets worse when Carey discovers that she’s been planning this divorce for quite some time, and before she can read the “Dear John” letter she wrote, he flees the car and legs it to the destination on foot.
Co-writer/director Covino brings smug charm as Paul, a successful New York real estate guy; with Johnson as his ceramicist wife Julie. They’re both stunned to see Carey come stumbling into their beach house solo, but they console him over the impending divorce with lots of wine drinking. It’s then that they admit how hard marriage can be, but they have found a way to make it easier: by being mature enough to be in an open relationship, built on mutual trust and honesty. You can commence snorting with disbelief right now, because the first thing that happens while Paul is away (as he is frequently) is that Carey and Julie sleep together. Hey, it’s open, right? So everything should be pretty chill?
Of course not. Splitsville erupts into a brilliantly chaotic brawl between Paul and Carey, two somewhat pathetic non-combatants. That said, they pull off tons of pro wrestling moves and do increasingly violent things to one another, while absurdly trying to remain civil. As if they can still be buddies when all of this is over.
Predictably, this leads to a whirlwind of jealousy and bitterness, with Ashley returning to complicate matters further. At one point, Carey, eager to prove that he’s okay with everything, agrees to live with Ashley and all of her many boyfriends, which begins to pile up to the point her home looks like a frat house. Julie and Carey have genuine chemistry together, but is she only with him to make Paul envious? And what does he do when he’s away from home all of the time? Each new chapter brings a shift in the couples’ dynamic, almost like a comedy version of Closer with less misogyny and pink wigs.
Splitsville nimbly weaves sincerity and romantic hijinks, although the balance is out of whack in the closing stretch. Corvino and Marvin continue to capture the snappy banter and freedom of improv comedy, with the glossy production values of a studio rom-com, or in this case, an anti-romcom. It’s Johnson and Arjona who shine the brightest. They take what could’ve been stock, underwritten female characters and bring them alive with moments of grace and silliness. Arjona, in particular, is on a remarkable hot streak and this is just another example of how good she is right now. While Splitsville paints a pretty ridiculous portrait of open relationships, people do stupid shit for love every day. Might as well laugh at it.
Splitsville is open in theaters now via NEON.
