The Story Of Us
Two nice folks, with two nice kids–and they all lived miserably ever after. The Alan Zweibel-Jessie Nelson script, which wants to be true and funny, tries too hard to be either.1
Writers Alan Zweibel and Jessie Nelson capture the essential elements of martial conflict, while also flavouring the story and characters with enough individuality to make them interesting. Furthermore, friendly advice/comic relief supplied by the likes of Paul Reiser, Rita Wilson (Mrs Tom Hanks) and Reiner himself lightens a load that gets pretty heavy at times.2
Wanting to please audiences, most movies focus on the upside of a romantic relationship - pre-marital bliss. For about 90% of Hollywood’s romantic comedies, marriage (or some other form of permanent commitment) is the natural climax to the tale.3
And then there’s the actual plot. You see the moments in their relationship that matter most to each principal (thankfully, you only see these from one perspective, sparing you any potential he said-she said arguments).4
It borders on the miraculous that Jamestown survived, and it borders on the inexplicable that its contribution to American history has been overlooked. Almost four centuries after the first settlers arrived there, Jamestown has been consigned to obscurity by contrast with Plymouth — which in fact was not established until 1620 — and Williamsburg, which draws visitors by the millions seeking the pleasures and comforts of a theme park.5
The answer is simple. For some reason - perhaps because of its sheer dare devilry, perhaps because attention doesn’t get hotter, and proof of corruption doesn’t get starker - for some reason, Tehelka has caught people’s imagination.6