A Previously Married Woman

I find it purely amazing that the film An Unmarried Woman was not only written and directed by the same person, but the fact that person is a man; Paul Mazursky. The realism of the conversations from the group of women drinking: at what seems to be mid-afternoon, are uncanny. Everyone knows that women talk and gossip a bit (I say “a bit” to spare myself from scrutiny). So when we’re listening to these women talk and revealing a whole lot, you start to feel uncomfortable, because it’s so personal. As they talk about other people and reveal a lot, you almost feel as if they are going to start talking about you. Because they aren’t holding back on what they’re saying just as they aren’t holding back on their drinking. The women reveal their previous marriage failures, marriages based purely on sex, affairs with 19-year-old boys and marriages that are barely holding together. Of course our main character, Erica: played by Jill Clayburgh, has a perfect marriage of 16 years as well as a daughter. All of her friends are envious and like her husband Martin too. Well if that’s not foreshadowing, I don’t know what is. Next thing you know, perfect Martin has been having an affair with a young little number for a year and Erica is throwing up on the side of a New York street. Leaving Erica no choice but to leave the P.O.S.

What really made me like this movie was giving the main character; who was a woman, power and self-worth. Although in the beginning she was distraught after almost 20 years being with a “soul-mate” ended. And starting anew was like forgetting how to ride a bike and re-learning. But she stayed strong and didn’t fall for the next schmuck just cause he happened to get her when she was down. I wouldn’t hesitate to say that she was jaded when it came to men; I almost thought this movie was going to take a lesbian turn. Even in the arms of a “real catch” followed by his smooth talk about pickled herring and great pick up lines (which sealed the deal that this was definitely written by a male), she still couldn’t trust him to have her heart. In the end what went around came around, as quickly as that old dumb man Martin picked up the young mistress; she left his old dumb ass. Fortunately there was no stupid turn in the movie when Martin came crawling back after being dumped. Erica didn’t say maybe, she didn’t give him one last time in bed or anything like that, she kept it real.

Now a little off the previous topic, but to add my feelings of the realism within the characters and the writing, I was able to connect with was during the therapy scenes. I just as Erica have felt the same feelings from going to a therapist. Looking for answers, telling them small nothings, and big some things only to find that they don’t really have the answer. You feel for a quick second a barrier that you can’t connect to them or not getting your message across. Start to think why am I here talking to you if you (therapist) don’t have the answers. Erica comes to a realization, even told, that she (the therapist) can’t live her life. Therapy is about self-realization, because nothing is more empowering to you and your well being than not only just figuring out your problems, but pretty much figuring them out on your own.