10 Shows and Movies Similar to Scenes from a Marriage (2021)

Description: This Rainer Werner Fassbinder film shares with 'Scenes from a Marriage' its examination of how personal relationships intersect with larger social forces. Both works use marriage as a lens to explore gender roles and personal identity in changing societies. The strong female protagonist navigating postwar Germany mirrors the feminist themes in Bergman's work, though with more overt political commentary.

Fact: The film was part of Fassbinder's BRD Trilogy about postwar Germany. Hanna Schygulla's performance revived her international career. The explosive ending was controversial and widely debated.

Description: This classic divorce drama shares with 'Scenes from a Marriage' its groundbreaking, nuanced portrayal of marital breakdown. Both works revolutionized how relationships were depicted on screen, presenting domestic conflicts with unprecedented realism. The films similarly explore themes of gender roles, parental responsibility, and the emotional toll of separation, with powerful performances that lay bare the characters' vulnerabilities.

Fact: Dustin Hoffman insisted on keeping his character's flaws to maintain realism. Meryl Streep famously rewrote her own courtroom monologue. The film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Description: While more fantastical in premise, this film shares with 'Scenes from a Marriage' a profound exploration of love's impermanence and the pain of relationships. Both works use innovative narrative structures to examine why we stay in or leave relationships, blending emotional depth with intellectual inquiry. The memory-erasure device serves as a metaphor for the selective remembering we all do in relationships, much like the selective focus in 'Scenes from a Marriage'.

Fact: Jim Carrey performed without his usual comedic mannerisms at Michel Gondry's request. The film's title comes from an Alexander Pope poem. The nonlinear script was initially confusing to studio executives.

Description: While focusing more on the impact of divorce on children, this film shares with 'Scenes from a Marriage' a brutally honest portrayal of marital disintegration. Both works examine how intellectual and artistic pretensions can mask deeper emotional problems in relationships. The acerbic dialogue and uncomfortable domestic scenes in both films create a similarly cringe-inducing yet compelling viewing experience.

Fact: The film is semi-autobiographical, based on writer-director Noah Baumbach's childhood experiences. The entire film was shot in just 23 days. Laura Linney's character was originally written as more villainous, but the actress worked to make her more sympathetic.

Description: This comedy-drama shares with 'Scenes from a Marriage' its focus on the petty arguments and power struggles that can doom relationships. Both works show how love can curdle into resentment, though 'The Break-Up' does so with more humor. The films similarly explore how shared living spaces become battlegrounds, and how breakups are rarely clean or simple.

Fact: Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston's real-life relationship began during filming. The script was inspired by producer Jeremy Garelick's own breakup. The film's ending was reshot after test audiences rejected the original conclusion.

Description: This film shares with 'Scenes from a Marriage' a searing examination of marital discontent and the societal pressures that exacerbate it. Both works explore the disillusionment that can follow the initial stages of love, presenting marriage as a battleground of unfulfilled dreams and stifled individuality. The intense, dialogue-driven confrontations between the leads mirror those in 'Scenes from a Marriage', offering a similarly unflinching look at relationship breakdowns.

Fact: This marked the first reunion of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet since 'Titanic'. Director Sam Mendes drew from his own experiences of divorce in crafting the film. The novel's author, Richard Yates, was reportedly unhappy with the original Broadway adaptation but didn't live to see this film version.

Description: Like 'Scenes from a Marriage', 'Blue Valentine' delves deeply into the complexities of a romantic relationship, portraying both its passionate beginnings and painful dissolution. Both films use a non-linear narrative to contrast the initial euphoria of love with the harsh realities of a failing marriage. The raw, emotional performances and intimate cinematography in both films create a visceral experience of love and heartbreak.

Fact: The film was shot in chronological order to help the actors authentically portray the evolution of their characters' relationship. Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling lived together in the same house their characters lived in during filming to build chemistry. The film's script was developed through extensive improvisation workshops with the actors.

Description: While dealing with a human-AI relationship, 'Her' shares with 'Scenes from a Marriage' its meditation on intimacy, loneliness, and what we seek from partnerships. Both works examine how relationships change us and how we project our needs onto others. The melancholic tone and philosophical underpinnings create a similarly thoughtful exploration of human connection.

Fact: Scarlett Johansson replaced Samantha Morton after filming had begun. The futuristic Los Angeles was shot in Shanghai. Spike Jonze wrote the screenplay as a response to his divorce.

Description: This Iranian drama shares with 'Scenes from a Marriage' its unflinching look at how relationships fracture under pressure. Both films use domestic conflict to explore larger societal issues, with morally complex characters whose decisions have cascading consequences. The naturalistic acting and avoidance of melodrama create a similarly powerful, authentic portrayal of marital strife.

Fact: The first Iranian film to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Many scenes were improvised based on detailed outlines. Director Asghar Farhadi cast mostly non-professional actors for authenticity.

Description: As the third installment in Linklater's trilogy, this film shares with 'Scenes from a Marriage' its real-time, dialogue-heavy examination of a long-term relationship's complexities. Both works feature extended sequences of couples arguing with painful authenticity, revealing how love evolves (or devolves) over time. The naturalistic performances and improvisational feel create a similar sense of eavesdropping on real relationships.

Fact: The hotel room argument was filmed in a single 14-minute take. The actors contributed significantly to their characters' dialogue. The trilogy's films were made nine years apart to show the characters aging naturally.