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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
Last week’s introductions to Oscar Issac and Jessica Chastain’s characters in Scenes from a Marriage seemed like fun and games. Today, however, it all gets serious. Episode 2 is titled “Scene II: Poli”, and it is written and directed by Israeli filmmaker Hagai Levi, developer of the miniseries.
In this review, I will be discussing this second episode of Scenes from a Marriage. There will be spoilers to follow, as the title of this article suggests. Please read ahead at your own discretion.
Plot Summary
Whereas “Scene I” takes place in three different time settings, “Scene II: Poli” takes place in a several-hour span.
Shortly after Jonathan (Oscar Isaac) puts his daughter, Ava (Sophia Kopera), to sleep, Mira (Jessica Chastain) makes an early arrival home via train. Jonathan pours themselves glasses of wine in the kitchen, where they discuss making renovations to their attic as well as one of their friends avoiding wanting to hang out. Mira reveals she has been having an affair with a 29-year-old Israeli CEO; they had met at a business party that involved alcohol and cocaine. She admits she wanted to confess this immediately before he (i.e. Jonathan) could find out. She has made plans to go on a trip with Paul to Tel Aviv for a few months.
In the bedroom, Mira says she believes she can set up “a process of detachment,” a euphemism for separation or divorce. The reason for her decision is the abortion that happened at the end of the previous episode. (This took place several months prior.) Mira says if she had given birth to another child, then she would not be able to leave. Jonathan tells her they could talk it over before she decides to pull through with the separation. However, she refuses to do so. She says she could leave the affair but has already fallen in love with the man. Jonathan says she is acting irrational and tells her to think of their daughter and how the situation will impact her.
When they wake up in the morning hours later, Mira packs her clothes into luggage and leaves. Jonathan hugs her and is reluctant to let go. He calls their friends, Kate and Peter, who knew of Mira’s plan to separate. He breaks down out of confusion, waking up Ava.
Discussion
For a scene that lasts an hour (more or less), Levi writes and directs a terrific episode of Scenes from a Marriage — in fact, the place setting of solely Jonathan and Mira’s house renders it a bottle episode. Andrij Parekh’s cinematography and Yael Hersonski’s editing present how clear the narrative is to the viewer. Although, what really hits all the right notes is the musical composition. Two-thirds of the way into the scene shows the transition from night to day. The mood changes but with scant levity. Evgueni Galperine and Sacha Galperine’s scoring combined with Mira rolling her baggage down the front steps of the house is heart-wrenching.
Allowing this part of the story to transpire for the entirety of the episode is dreadful, and I mean this in a good way. It is as if to show that open wounds do not heal overnight and can lead to suppuration. In this case, Mira’s decision to leave is “just the way that it is. It happens to everyone. It’s so predictable [that] it’s practically a cliche”. Jonathan is infected by the choices his wife has made.
Performances and Character Developments
Isaac and Chastain deliver mighty scarring performances and even the minutiae of their delivery are noticeable. Jonathan hasn’t cheated but is revealed to watch pornographic material in his office. He proves himself to be a good husband who is doing what is right by willing to have a proper conversation about their marital concerns. Additionally, he asks his wife to see a picture of the man she is in love with. This proves how strong his emotional endurance is as a character. Jonathan’s vulnerable points throughout the scene demonstrate how relatable he can be, and I have to laud Isaac for his acting capabilities from the beginning to the end.
Mira, on the other hand, is a type of character I am also familiar with. The way she crunches on a chip passive-aggressively and quaffs her glasses of wine exhibit her pushing herself to get the words out of her mouth. It’s interesting how she compares her suffocation in the marriage to “a constant asthma attack [that lasts] entire days”. She tries to appeal to Jonathan’s logos and pathos, but only one is believable. Mira does admit to having shame for what she did, but as she suggests, what’s done is done.
Together, the two actors produce an act that is dismal, gloomy, and yet not melodramatic. Their brushing their teeth in the bathroom may display some dramatic tension, but it’s their argument in the bedroom the night before that really steals the show.
Final Thoughts
As the second episode of Scenes from a Marriage, the show already tops its first episode in more ways than one. It’s a shame to think that there are already three episodes left over. Although, I have faith in what Levi has in store for the audience.
9.5/10
Scenes from a Marriage is on HBO!
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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
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