The Story of Us

1999
R
1h 35m

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

26K

YOUR RATING

Michelle Pfeiffer and Bruce Willis in The Story of Us (1999)

Theatrical Trailer from Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Play trailer2:20

1 Video

99+ Photos

Romantic Comedy Comedy Drama Romance

Ben and Katie Jordan are a married couple who go through hard times in fifteen years of marriage.Ben and Katie Jordan are a married couple who go through hard times in fifteen years of marriage.Ben and Katie Jordan are a married couple who go through hard times in fifteen years of marriage.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

26K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 4 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 2:20

The Story of Us

Photos138

+ 132

User reviews166

6.025.5K

Featured reviews

6TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews

Very close to being great, but doesn't quite make it...

This movie holds so much truth; it cannot possibly be watched by anyone, man or woman who are or who have been in a serious relationship without any such crying at some point during it, or at least being strongly enough emotionally affected to do so. I cried. I cried before the opening credits song was more than a few lines in. It spoke to me like few movies have. It is the first movie about the subject of love that I've watched since I became this involved, physically and emotionally with my wife-to-be. That alone makes the movie have an impact on me, good or not. That it dealt with a subject that has so recently become so important to me. A successful marriage. But while I was this into the film, while it had this impact on me... I can't claim that it was great. The performances are. The editing is. The script is. Most of the parts are. But somehow, the sum, it just doesn't add up to being that... great. It might be that the ending feels flat. It might be that the movie offers no answers, only observations. The movie goes back and forth between present day chaos/unhappiness and fond memories... these were particularly difficult to watch without crying. This works to the film's advantage and creates a sense of more than a non-linear time-line; a life-time, years upon years of memories returning to this old married couple. The story of two people who love each other... they do. They've just tired of each other, of the differences, of the arguing. Comes very close to being great, but it just doesn't quite make it, I'm afraid. Worth watching for any fans of the genre, and has plenty of insights to offer. I recommend this to anyone who is or has been in a serious relationship. 6/10

aaron_fan2002

Wow so close to reality.

Wow, that is the one word that would best sum up what the movie is all about. It is so close to reality that it is scary, I am only 16 so I haven't gone through this yet, however my parents have, and all I can say is that the movie was done so well I could relate to so many things in the movie.

Bruce and Michelle play the characters so well that it look like they are going through it as well.

I would say that it is worth watching wether you know the situation or just want to watch the movie. It is touchy and funny at the same time.

I wrote at the beginning that my parents went through the same things and I believe that the movie helped them to get through it and they are now doing a lot better and don't fight as often.

8patdwyer4

Heart Felt and Funny - Just like Middle Class real Life

I was miffed the first time I saw this film. Miffed that I had allowed the opinions of others to steer me away from it until it came out on DVD. What a lovely bitter sweet/sweetly bitter film. After seeing The Story Of Us and talking to others about it, I came to the pejorative conclusion that the folk I spoke to just didn't get the film because they simply had not been there. I realized that no one I talked to at first had shared his or her lives with anyone for any more than a few years. This film deals with the daily wear and tear of ANY truly long-term relationship. It is an accurate, albeit theatrical, portrayal of the way high ups and devastating downs that can come to two people who love each other hate each other need each other want each other desperately hate each other some more and finally love each other again. I concluded that those who had never been to the end (and I mean the it's over and I am outta here end) of a relationship and still been able to pull away form the precipice and put things back together again, just didn't have a clue. So there my partner and I were after 16 years together truly touched by all that we saw, nodded our heads to, laughed at and balled our eyes out over and, in the end, really uplifted by in this gem of a film. Michelle Pfeiffer's final monologue alone would have been worth the price of a movie ticket just to watch All Actors should be made to watch her has she creates brilliant comedy by bursting into tears. It is a true lesson in comic artistry while still touching the heartstrings. I HATE THE KIRBYS TOO!!!!

gorgeous992002

Fantastic portray of real life events

I had the pleasure of viewing the Story of Us when it first came out and to this day it still remains to be one of my favorite movies of all time. Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer do a fantastic job of portraying a real life couple with real life problems. I believe that the reason this movie rates so well is that we all actually have these day to day kind of problems in a long term relationship and even though we have tough times and hardships, it doesn't mean that we are failures or that it isn't worth it to give the realtionship another try. I would reccomend this movie to anyone and everyone. 5 star rating. Excellent movie, Excellent choice of actors.

Big D-2001

Great performances from Willis and Pfeiffer...

Bruce Willis, in my opinion, is a very accomplished and underrated actor. Although many of his past characters are over-the-top, he never really plays them as such. He has a subtleness that suits him, which is why he is as successful as he is. Unfortunately, for a while, he has been typecast in his numerous action movies, that most of the general public has written him off as another cliché. That's a shame. His best performances, again in my opinion, have been in `12 Monkeys,' `Pulp Fiction,' `The Sixth Sense' and here as well.

`The Story of Us' works in many ways. The dynamic between Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer (an actress so wonderful that I can't put into words) is electric. Their non-stop fights are involving, sometimes comical and often painful to watch, but in a good way. There's a scene in the film when Bruce Willis is in a hotel and Michelle Pfeiffer is at home and they call each other back-and-forth, asking meaningless questions when the audience knows they want to talk about their martial problems. It was fascinating to me. Honestly, I have never seen the more successful `When Harry Met Sally,' sadly, but this film is constantly compared to it since both films were directed by Rob Reiner. Rob Reiner is an eclectic director. He has, virtually, covers all the genres in the business. He has works ranging from romantic comedies (The American President, When Harry Met Sally) to dramas (A Few Good Men, Ghosts Of Mississippi) to fantasies (The Princess Bride) to suspense thrillers (Misery).

There was some great supportive work from Rob Reiner himself, Rita Wilson and Paul Reiser. There is a scene I remember from the trailer where Rita Wilson is going on a tantrum about her husband's misplacing of toilet paper. I smiled in that scene in the trailer and I laughed out loud during the movie. Interestingly enough, while I liked the couple's bickering, I guess the movie could have been more successful if it wasn't relying so heavily on it, thus keeping this film from being one of the very best of the year. Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer are, in fact, at the top of their game and I liked their chemistry well enough to give it a strong recommendation.

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Bruce Willis was going through his own divorce from Demi Moore at the time of filming.

Goofs
On the drive to pick up the kids from camp Ben has his head turned toward Katie, but in the reverse angle Ben is looking straight ahead then turns toward Katie.

Quotes
Katie: I want to go to Chow Funs
Ben: I thought we agreed we couldn't really talk at Chow Funs
Katie: I know
Ben: Are you saying Chow Funs because you can't face telling the kids? Because if that's why you're saying Chow Funs, don't say Chow Funs
Katie: That's not why I'm saying Chow Funs. Funs, I'm saying Chow Funs because we're an us. There's a history here, and histories don't happen overnight. In Mesopotamia or Ancient Troy there are cities built on top of other cities, but I don't want another city, I like this city. I know what kind of mood your in when you wake up by which eyebrow is higher, and you know I'm a little quiet in the morning and compensate accordingly, that's a dance you perfect over time. And it's hard, it's much harder than I thought it would be, but there's more good than bad and you don't just give up! And it's not for the sake of the children, but God they're great kids aren't they? And we made them, I mean think about that! It's like there were no people there, and then there were people and they grew, and an an an I won't be able to say to some stranger Josh has your hands or remember how Erin threw up at the Lincoln Memorial And I'll try to relax, let's face it, anybody is going to have traits that get on your nerves, I mean, why shouldn't it be your annoying traits, and I know I'm no day at the beach, but I do have a good sense of direction so I can at least find the beach, which isn't a weakness of yours, it's a strength of mine. And God you're a good friend and good friends are hard to find. Charlotte said that in Charlottes Web and I love how you read that to Erin and you take on the voice of Wilber the Pig with such dedication even when your bone tired. That speaks volumes about character! And ultimately, isn't that what it comes down too? What a person is made of? That girl in the pin helmet is still here 'bee boo bee boo' I didn't even know she existed until you and I'm afraid if you leave I may never see her again, even though I said at times you beat her out of me, isn't that the paradox? Haven't we hit the essential paradox? Give and take, push and pull, the yen the yang. The best of times, the worst of times!I think Dickens said it best, 'He could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean', but, doesn't really apply here does it? What I'm trying to say is, I'm saying Chow Funs because, I love you
Ben: Did you hear that kids? Mom wants to go to chow Funs!