02.17.2025 | By Jack Rico |
For those who grew up in the ’90s film scene, Edward Burns was a defining indie voice. His films, The Brothers McMullen and Sidewalks of New York, shaped my teenage understanding that in relationships, love alone isn’t enough, it takes work. Eventually, Burns shifted to acting and directed less, making only two movies in the last 15 years. One of them is his latest, Millers in Marriage, a story of love, fidelity, and reinvention in midlife.
At 57, Burns returns as writer, director, and co-star, leading an ensemble of familiar Gen X stars, including Gretchen Mol, Minnie Driver, Benjamin Bratt, Patrick Wilson, Morena Baccarin, Julianna Margulies, Campbell Scott, and Brian d’Arcy James.
Three Siblings, Three Marital Stages
At its core, Millers in Marriage is about the emotional crossroads of midlife. How do love, ambition, and personal goals shift when couples become empty nesters?
Gretchen Mol and Julianna Margulies in ‘Millers In Marriage’
The film follows three siblings, each at a different stage of life, all facing a pivotal moment in their relationships. First, we meet Eve (Gretchen Mol), a former indie rocker struggling in her marriage to her alcoholic husband (Patrick Wilson). When an old friend and music journalist (Benjamin Bratt) reappears, she must decide whether to chase a return to her musical dreams or remain in a lifeless relationship.
Next, we meet Maggie (Julianna Margulies), a successful novelist at the peak of her career, while her husband, Nick (Campbell Scott), a once-celebrated writer, battles crippling writer’s block. As their careers move in opposite directions, they are forced to ask: Is love alone enough to hold their marriage together?
Finally, there’s Andy (Edward Burns), an artist who, after more than a decade of marriage, begins a new relationship with Renee (Minnie Driver), a confident fashion executive scarred by past heartbreaks. But when his ex-wife, Tina (Morena Baccarin), returns hoping to rekindle their love, he must choose between moving forward or being pulled back into the exact past he’s trying to leave behind.
Benjamin Bratt in ‘Millers in Marriage’
Casting Latinos: It’s About Talent, Not Race
Latino audiences may recognize Benjamin Bratt (of Peruvian descent) and Morena Baccarin (Brazilian) as among the few Latino actors who can blend into roles where their ethnicity is never brought up, something many Latino actors wish was more common in Hollywood.
As a Hispanic film and culture critic, this casting presents a unique reality to me: On one hand, it’s a victory, proving that Latino actors can be cast in lead or co-lead roles without their ethnicity defining them. On the other, it highlights how rare it still is to see Latinos not playing Latinos onscreen. I hope this kind of casting becomes more common, paving the way for a future where talent, not race, shapes the next generation of movie stars.
The Messy Wisdom of Love At Any Age
Burns has always had a knack for exploring the complexities of relationships, and this film is no exception. Having grown up watching most of his work, I know his films never offer easy answers. He reminds us that love is messy, relationships require constant negotiation, and the people we choose to stay with reflect our own values and limits. For those who loved his work in the ‘90s, this film is a welcome return, but now with a wisdom grounded in the scars of time. For a mature audience often ignored in today’s Hollywood films, it’s a reminder that love stories don’t end at 40, they only get more interesting.
Millers in Marriage opens in select theaters and on digital February 21, 2025.
