Splitsville (MA) – 105 minutes

Splitsville lifts the bar on quirky comedic relationship breakdowns.

Carey (Kyle Marvin) is happily married to the love of his life, Ashley (Adria Arjona).

He would like to start a family, but she doesn’t seem keen.

They are on a road trip 14 months into their marriage when they witness, at close hand, a fatal car accident.

That triggers Ashley into revealing she isn’t happy, has had multiple affairs and wants a divorce.

Devastated, Carey turns to his best friend, self-centred Paul (Michael Angelo Covino) and Paul’s wife, Julie (Dakota Johnson).

He is shocked to learn they are in an open marriage, although Julie is frustrated that Paul spends little time at home, leaving her to carry the can with child rearing duties.

On the other hand, Carey appears kind and considerate.

He and Julie are clearly drawn to one another. Before you know it, they have done the deed. But when Paul finds out, all hell breaks loose.

At the same time, Carey refuses to leave the home he shares with his wife Ashley.

He takes to the couch while Ashley takes a series of lovers that, one after another, Carey befriends.

Where the respective relationships between the two married couples and mutual friends will go from here is anyone’s guess.

What I can say is that it is quite a roller coaster ride, in which the ground is constantly shifting.

Co-written with Kyle Marvin and directed by Michael Angelo Covino, Splitsville contains some hilarious, off the wall material.

It is bold and bodacious, with sight gags sitting comfortably alongside smart one liners.

The movie also has strong visual appeal, with Adam Newport-Berra’s cinematography a feature.

There is so much to enjoy here and you never know what is going to happen next. That element of surprise is a real winner.

I particularly appreciated the performances of Marvin, Arjona and Johnson.

In playing Carey, Marvin comes across as nice and decent, while Arjona, as Ashley, is looking for excitement, trying to find a satisfying way forward.

There is a sensitivity about Johnson’s portrayal of Julie.

Unquestionably absurdist, Splitsville sits comfortably alongside another recent darkly comedic release, being The Roses.

You could even see the two as mutually satisfying companion pieces.

Rated MA, Splitsville scores an 8 out of 10.