Watch The Story of Us

The Story of Us is a romantic comedy-drama film released in 1999, directed by Rob Reiner and starred by Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer as Ben and Katie Jordan. The film revolves around their 15 years of marriage and the ups and downs, decisions and experiences that made and broke them. The movie starts with Katie and Ben seeing their children off to summer camp for three weeks. It is the first time they'll have been alone together in years, and it's awkward. Their relationship has reached a point of estrangement, with both parties feeling discontented and emotionally disconnected from each other.

The couple decides to take the time to confront the struggles and conflicts of their marriage, recounting in a series of flashbacks the good and bad times of their relationship from the moment they met until the present. They go through the authentic motions of how they first fell in love, to the moment they decided to get married, up until the present moment where they feel like they no longer know each other.

Katie and Ben seem to have irreconcilable differences, and as they discuss their past, it becomes apparent that they never managed to resolve anything that arose in their marriage. From their different expectations of each other's career goals to their habits that started as quirky and endearing, the film shows how even the little things accumulate over 15 years and can become deal breakers.

Despite the tensions that the couple is facing, the film is also filled with moments of levity, where the couple can still communicate and share moments of amusement. They both find comfort in their kids, and the love that they have is evident when they interact with them.

As the film progresses, it becomes clear that the couple is rushing their divorce rather than working through their problems. When Ben gets a job out of town, things seem to come to a head, with Katie resolutely not wanting to move and Ben desperately needing to a change of pace.

Rob Reiner's direction, alongside a well-written script, keeps the movie engaging and enjoyable to watch. The film's redeeming quality is its honesty and authenticity that makes it relatable to couples in real life. The characters don't offer any magic solution to the common marital problems that plague them, yet the movie has a raw and bittersweet feeling that is genuine.

Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer both put in great performances and had great chemistry on camera. Their portrayals are heartfelt, and it's difficult not to root for them to resolve their problems and find a way back to each other.

The Story of Us may have missed out on box office success, but it remains memorable for its poignant depiction of marriage and the struggles that couples often face. It's a mature and thoughtful romance film that confronts the notion of the perfect relationship and instead focuses on the real-life tensions and concerns that arise over a long-term marriage.

In conclusion, The Story of Us is a film that explores the challenges of staying together with someone for years, how it's easy to get caught up in the mundanity, and what it takes to reconstruct a damaged relationship. It’s a bittersweet reflection that will have you laughing, crying, and consider the compromise, sacrifices, and communication it takes to sustain a long-term relationship.

The Story of Us is a 1999 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.0 and a MetaScore of 37.