The Story of Us

"Do you have any idea how difficult this is going to be?" And, if you really believe that you do, then and only then, you shouldn't say "I do," you should say, "I'll try." The Story of Us, starring Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer, is the very real and humorous examination of Ben and Katie Jordan's marriage. After 15 years, the couple is wrestling with the universal paradox: why are the qualities that made them fall in love in the first place now the very things pulling them apart? Emotionally drained from their relationship, the Jordans attempt a trial separation while their children, Josh, 12, and Erin, 10, are away at summer camp. For both Ben and Katie, fighting has lately become the condition rather than the exception, and they believe that their only option is a silent retreat to neutral corners. During their time apart, both Ben and Katie reflect on the value of their shared history -- the dance, perfected over time, that has made them an us. Michelle Pfeiffer is Katie Jordan, the designated driver of the marriage. She likes having everything in its place, knowing that there are answers to the little questions and having a sense of closure. Her career as a crossword-puzzle designer fulfills her need to know that the little world on that half page is complete. And this is why Katie fell in love with Ben's (Bruce Willis) imagination, spontaneity and playfulness. Ben, a writer, is a true romantic who believes in happy endings. But life demands some attention to details, and Ben doesn't know where the Bactine is and he lets his washer-fluid light blink incessantly red. Ben's philosophy, as Katie describes it, is comparable to the children's book Harold and the Purple Crayon. Harold is a little boy who draws the world the way he wants it to be and not the way it actually is. How can these qualities that were once so endearing become so infuriating that you lose sight of what is important? At what point do you forget that without the other person you are incomplete?