The recent cinematic landscape is seeing a peculiar lean toward concealed conservatism in the realm of romantic films. “Maybe I Do,” the debut film from Michael Jacobs based on his own play, seems like a farcical depiction of parents in the throes of a midlife crisis as their children ponder matrimony. However, it morphs into one of the most backward, anti-infidelity movies I've ever encountered.
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Over the course of two evenings (and a concluding scene), Jacobs' film struggles to disconnect from its theatrical origins. It introduces its six central characters in couples. Grace (a near-parody of herself, Diane Keaton, while peculiarly playing an evangelical Christian) and Sam (William H. Macy, imparting more humaneness to his character than the rest of the ensemble) converse after encountering each other at an art house movie, where Sam was quietly crying alone. Simultaneously, their respective spouses Howard (Richard Gere) and Monica (Susan Sarandon) are at a posh hotel. They are on the brink of terminating their four-month affair. Their adult children, Allen (Luke Bracey) and Michelle (Emma Roberts) have been together for so long. Michelle eagerly awaits catching the wedding bouquet at a friend's wedding. She hopes to commence her fairytale, while their parents are yet to meet.
A farce like this depends on implausible coincidences. However, the haphazard editing during the film's first half, with its irrational perspective shifts between the three couples, is simply unpalatable. Scenes appear disjointed, lacking emotional progression, despite the characters experiencing significant events. Moreover, despite the undertones of an ongoing affair, a potential affair, and a relationship teetering on the edge of marriage, each pair's interactions remain as innocent as a daytime drama.
Jacobs' visual prowess is notably lacking. Many scenes ause awkward wide shots that isolate the cast from each other and the audience. Deeply emotional moments fall flat due to his overuse of two-shots instead of relying on close-ups to leverage his actors' abilities. The actors' homes feel more like sterile, staged spaces than genuine residences. They have minimal decoration and the actors are standing as if for a property brochure.
The cast's lack of chemistry and the sterile atmosphere of their settings are exacerbated by the dated dialogue. The script casts women in a stereotypical light. It portrays Grace as blaming her lack of attention from Howard for her becoming "a potato," as if her self-worth is solely tied to his attention. Monica is shown as a nagging woman who is jealous of a younger woman's beauty. This is despite Susan Sarandon being stunning and assured. Her character's assertiveness and sexual confidence are blamed for her failing marriage. While Michelle's life appears to revolve entirely around her potential marriage to Allen, leaving her devoid of any external life.
What's perplexing is this cast, known for pushing boundaries in their past work, being part of such a retrograde romantic narrative. Keaton and Gere shattered sexual norms in films like “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” and “American Gigolo.” Sarandon epitomized sexual liberation in films like “Bull Durham” and “White Palace.” Macy previously portrayed the cuckold in “Boogie Nights” and “Pleasantville,” neither of which could be labeled as conservative. Most recently, Roberts and Bracey shared the screen in “Holidate,” examining modern friends-with-benefits relationships.
So, what drew these actors to this film that reduces characters to simplistic archetypes in pursuit of a traditional Christian family ideal, devoid of any unique attributes outside of these roles? Hopefully, they were well compensated. This film remains a minor hiccup in their impressive filmographies, with their subsequent works doing justice to their talent.
In the end, what was intended to be a film about the significance of marriage and selecting the ideal life partner turns into a warning about the dangers of investing oneself altogether in romantic relationships. Although Michelle's wedding is painted as a joyful conclusion, it seems more like a horrific trap. It mirrors her parents' fate, cementing the film's refusal to accept that divorce isn't always a negative outcome.
