"Domestic Thriller 'A Good Marriage' Written by Stephen King"
In the realm of suspenseful thrillers, 'Stephen King's A Good Marriage,' released in 2014, offers a gripping tale of a 25-year marriage put to the test. With a runtime of 102 minutes, the film is directed by Peter Askin and produced by Askin, Will Battersby, and Per Melita.
The film stars Joan Allen as Darcy Anderson, a woman who finds herself questioning her husband's spotless facade when she discovers evidence of a dark secret. Anthony LaPaglia portrays Bob Anderson, a respected accountant and coin collector, who harbors this hidden truth.
The main roles are rounded out by Kristen Connolly as Petra Anderson, Stephen Lang as Holt Ramsay, Cara Buono as Betty Pike, and Mike O'Malley as Bill Gaines. Lang's character, Holt Ramsay, a retired detective, plays a significant role in uncovering Bob's secret.
The film score is composed by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans, while Frank G. DeMarco serves as cinematographer and Colleen Sharp handles the editing. The film was shot at various locations in New York, including Sleepy Hollow, Palisades, and New York City. One such location is the address 429 Bellwood Ave in Sleepy Hollow.
The narrative unfolds as Darcy struggles with her loyalty to Bob and the knowledge of his actions, suffering from nightmares and feelings of guilt. After Bob confesses to Darcy that he and his friend Brian Delahanty developed fantasies of revenge against women, and after Brian's death, Bob took on his murderous tendencies and committed twelve murders, Darcy takes drastic measures to protect herself. She pushes Bob down the stairs, smothers him with a towel and a plastic bag, and stages the incident as an accident.
However, the film lacks intensity and depth, with the atmosphere often feeling sterile. Darcy's emotional turmoil is not adequately conveyed, and the character development is superficial, making it difficult for the viewer to build a deeper connection with the characters. As a result, while it may be of interest to Stephen King fans, 'Stephen King's A Good Marriage' does not reach the quality of other film adaptations of his works.
Despite this, Holt Ramsay, suspecting Darcy of being an accomplice, eventually admits that she did the right thing. The film is rated 16+ and is available on Amazon Prime Video. Overall, 'Stephen King's A Good Marriage' is an average adaptation that does not fully exploit the potential of the source material, but it still offers an engaging, albeit shallow, exploration of a marriage pushed to its limits.
