Romantic comedies tend to follow the standard formula. Guy meets girl, guy and girl first hate each other, then guy and girl fall in love. Recent romantic comedies are challenging the boring formula with a touch of real-life truth in creative ways. Splitsville is one of those movies that uses genuine chaos to say something about the state of modern relationships. Branded with “An Unromantic Comedy,” the film hits all the comedy beats and showcases the twisted but creative mind of the up-and-coming filmmaking duo.
Splitsville, directed by Michael Angelo Covino and written by Kyle Marvin along with Covino, follows recently married couple Carey (Marvin), Ashley (Adria Arjona), and not-so-recently married couple Julie (Dakota Johnson), and Paul (Covino). On the way to Julie and Paul’s vacation home, Carey and Ashley witness a horrible accident. Ashley, realizing that life is too short, tells Carey that she’s been cheating on him and wants a divorce. Carey, showing his immaturity, literally runs away from the conversation and makes it to Julie and Paul’s home.
It’s there that Carey finds out that his friends are in an open relationship, and Julie later takes the opportunity to sleep with Carey. The explanation reads something out of a trashy soap opera, but Splitsville‘s script is the furthest away from that notion.
Marvin and Covino have worked in the past with their style of indie comedy, and Splitsville shows that relationship continues to blossom positively. The script is near perfection with its subtle and not-so-subtle comedy beats. Their use of slowly building many chaotic and comedic scenes helps the movie fire off jokes that continuously land. What makes even the jokes more accurate is how it televises each character’s motivation without being ham-fisted. These moments come in their strongest form during the heavy dialogue in Splitsville.
There are several instances when the script aims for those relatable and honest conversations about relationships. Marvin and Covino feed spoonfuls of jokes and jabs that make the information easier to digest. Apart from the dry comedy, there are other moments where physicality is skillfully played out thanks to the cast’s acting.
Johnson, Marvin, Arjona, and Covino are perfectly in sync whenever they share the screen. The group bounces off one another with Johnson being the “straight person,” which allows her to carry some of the emotional beats in Splitsville. Consequently, Johnson and Marvin share great moments of affection between their characters that had me rooting for the two to end up together. Additionally, what makes Splitsville worth a watch is the unique style of directing from Covino.
The filmmaker is no stranger behind the camera, but their directing style is something that should be commemorated. The director sets the camera in the perfect spot to allow the actors to take the moment from one room to the next. It’s these parts of the film that carry some of Splitsville‘s great comedic points and made me feel like a fly on the wall. Yet, Covino takes the story further. There’s a fight between Carey and Paul that any lesser director would let the action play sloppily.
However, Covino plays it like a realistic fight with hints of 90s action Hollywood style. Each strike from each character grows grander, punctuated by laugh-out-loud moments. The fight concludes with a slow-motion shot that sets the overall tone of the movie, which I was entirely on board with. Furthermore, Covino one-ups himself on two more occasions when he showcases the passage of time in Splitsville.
The scene involves Carey and Ashley agreeing to their new marriage rules, which showcases Covino’s directing talent. The scene is a continuous shot of Ashley navigating these relationships and Carey becoming friends with her exes. It exhibits what the couple is going through emotionally as they try to traverse the complicated marriage. It’s played for laughs but holds a lot of truth to situations involving an open marriage and when one partner has to pick up the pieces.
It’s an impressive moment that had me constantly wondering how they’re able to steer through all the clothing changes and looks with each other’s characters without a single cut. Yet, Covino does this again on a bigger scale in the 3rd Act. The scene takes place during a birthday party, and each person who passes through the house shows how chaotic the location is becoming. It demonstrates how tumultuous each character has evolved. The scene ends with the realization that each character has been lying to each other and themselves this whole time. Summing up the themes of communication within a relationship, and the need to just be honest.
I didn’t know what to expect from Splitsville before going in, but I left the movie with another perspective on relationships. Covnio’s directing is something I will be looking forward to, and comedic writing from Melvin is something I need in my life. I found myself laughing throughout most of the movie and locked in for the dialogue. Anybody looking for an unconventional indie romantic comedy should seek this one out and be prepared to have an awkward conversation with your partner, possibly.