The young, mildly hipster, NPR-listening couple Dax (Cy Carter) and Olive (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) are in nearly every scene of writer/director Mo Perkins’ A Quiet Little Marriage, which hums along on a central conceit: When Dax discovers a grand deception being perpetrated by Olive, instead of confronting her, he embarks on an equally devious strategy. The plot is a matter, then, of waiting to see who learns the truth first. But there’s little suspense in this placid, lovely-looking movie, and not enough explained about the two main characters. Each is given one other person to talk to – an irresponsible, alcoholic brother for Dax and a near-mute elderly father for Olive. These supporting characters cause worry for Dax and Olive but don’t provide any perspective on the happy-except-for-that-huge-lie couple. As a result, the film feels claustrophobic and a bit too thin to hold interest. A Quiet Little Marriage is meant to be a study of a relationship, not a revelation, although the ending holds an unexpected development that’s pitch-perfect.
A Quiet Little Marriage screens tonight at 7pm at the Rollins Theater
This article appears in October 17 • 2008.