There’s a sequence Early into “Splitsville,” Premiering out of Competition in Cannes, that make you realie just what the team of Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin to Make this Movie. The Writers and Actors Best Known for their Indie Hit “The CLIMB” have returned with a flashier cast for this new, but maybe they wereneking profile projects with glamorous stars. Maybe they just wanted to beat each other to a pulp.
What Results is one of the Funniest Fight Scenes in Recent Memory. IT STARTS WITH SLAPPING AND THEN TURNS TO WRESTLING, FOLLOWEED BY INCREASING Levels of Destruction as the Two Lay Waste to A Gorgeous Hamptons Home, Breaking Tables and Bashing in the Walls. Covino, Who Also Serves as Director, and Marvin Let their Bodies Flail Around for Maximum Hilary, and Each new Phase of their Brawl Another Surpring, Uproarious Micro Set Piece. (Think of it like chekhov’s fold tank.) If “Splitsville” was just this it would be Worth the price of admision.
But Covino and Marvin Have Constructed Around It A Reliably Funny Rom-Coming About the Notion of Open Relationships. IT’S SHAGGY IN PLACES AND FAILERS ONE SIDE OF ITS Story Above the Other, but Ultimately Makes for A Delightful Time.
Since before we get to the aphoronone fight, “Splitsville” quickly Estabishes it absurdist in the opening. Gym Teacher Carey (Marvin) and His Wife, Life Coach Ashley (Adria Arjona), are on the way to the Beach House Owned by their Richer Friends Julie (Dakota Johnson) and Paul (Michael Angelo Covino), Carey’s Childhood Best Friend.
But to though caarey and ashley duet (poorly) to stevie nicks and Kenny Loggins’ “WENERER I call you friend,” Something is amiss. Ashley wants carey to be more sexually adventurous. He wans a baby. And then an in-trans HAND JOB GOES AWRY A CAR IN FRONT OF THE CRASHES, Resulting in at Least One Death. That’s Enough to Put Life in Perspective for Ashley. She wans a divorce.
Carey is Despondent and Gets Out of the Car, Walking All the Way to Julie and Paul’s Through Swampy As the Titles Play Over Dabney Morris and David Wingo’s Score. At their place, tending to carey’s emotional dounds and checking Him for ticks, Julie and Paul Reveal Secret to Happiness: They Have an Open Mariage. Its Quickly Clear, Howver, that they anen’t quite as chill about extramarital affairs as they would seem. The Next Day Paul, A Real Estate Guy, is off in the city and julie bemoans his absence in her life. Carey and Julie Have Sex. Paul, Upon Learning of their Coitus, does not take it Well. HENCE: The Slapping Melee.
From there is marvin and covino spin out their premise to more ridiculous heights as caarey returns to the City to find that ashley has started tachted a series of increasingly looves which hech he Systematically befriends. (At one point, he shows say “Lorenzo’s Oil” for Movie Night. A Perfect Joke.) Meanwhile, Paul Finds Himself in A Work Crisis that Puts the Lifestyle of Julie and Their Rebellious Son Russ (Simon Webster) in Jeopardy, Leading Julie Back to the Dopard. Sweetness of Carey.
Marvin Plays Carey As a Charming LERS WITH WHOM YOU CAN’T HELP BUT FALL IN LOVE IN A Performance That’s SO HAVE NO NO Trouble Believing that two of the Most Beautiful Women on the Planet Wauld Be Into Him, Host Wenh He’s Pathetic and Annoying. (Also the fact that his character has a huge dick what we see on screens Multiple Helps Support This.) Covino on the Other Hand Play Paul With A Dash of Loathsome Rich Guy Energy, Thats Feels Like the Polar Opposite of Carey’s Mold Nature.
As for the Women, Johnson Gets the Better Role As Julie, who likes the existence she has created with paul but is unsatisfied with paul himself. She Channels Her Frustration Into Wryly Sardonic Line Deliveries. Arjona on the Other Hand Has More Outright Comedic Scenes as Ashley, who tries on increasingly new personalities as she dates new People. But her narrative is also shortchange. Spreads Because the story immediately tourns to carey after she wans out, we are really gievnah to understand her desire. It ‘Harder to be on her side, especally consider that caarey does like a nice guy and a good Lay from Julie’s Perspective.
Well wen beats Feel underwritten, Marvin and Covino’s Script is so consistently funny it doesn’t really matter. A “Vanilla Sky” bit made with howl, and the appeaarans of nicholas braun as a mentalist results in a screener. On top of that, Covino, Working with Cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra Stages the Action with A Propulsivity and Creativity that Makes the Domestic Problems Cinematically Alive.
“Splitsville” probably won’t great advance the conversation Around Open Relationships and Their Viability, but I’m Not Sure That’s The Company. In fact, i think those who believe in the concept might scoff at the film. Still, the movieors have created an endlessly endearing the four People trying to negotiate their desire in the silliest ways postible with unexpective chaos around and turn.
Grade: B+
Splitsville World Premiered in the Cannes Premiere Section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Neon Will Release it in theaters in the US on August 22.
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