this be a disturbing and bittersweet romantic comedy about two people who 15 year marriage be unravel . actually and it be more of a romantic tragedy than a comedy . ben and katie jordan ( bruce willis and michelle pfeiffer ) be two mismatched people in the marriage that never should have be . he be spontaneous and romantic and impulsive and with low frustration tolerance and an explosive hair trigger temper . she be pragmatic and a compulsive perfectionist with unrealistic expectation and and a high need for control . she take everything personally and never forgives or forget a slight . they both blame each other for their disappointment . the pattern be clear . he doesn not meet her standard so she snip and he explode and then she accuse him of not listen . she then throw up every mistake he ever make and every fault he ever have . this go on ad nauseam a their romantic obsession with one another continue to get the best of any sense they might have to call it quit . like moth to a flame and they keep return for another scorching . this film be think provoke in that it portray marital difficulty that be all too familiar in our society . the problem be that it try to give every problem know to man ( with the exception of wife beat ) to this couple and relies on the single strand of a long forgotten romance to be the only chance of keep them together . in watch the behind the scene featurette on this film and rob reiner and writer alan zweibel and jessie nelson discuss how the story evolve . a it turn out and it be a montage of all their own marital problem . so the film be and in essence cathartic dumping ground for the writer and director . a filmmaking and it be terrific . rob reiner weave the story together expertly and create a stark contrast between the joy of the romance and the reality of the relationship . the film be punctuate by numerous funny and sweet moment that make the viewer smile and glow with delight . michelle pfeiffer give a splendid performance of a very emotionally complex and neurotic character . it take a lot of courage for her to take this part because she be play the least likeable character in the film and something of a departure for her . bruce willis be as good a one could have expect consider the fact that nobody be blow anything up . actually and he be quite good a the impulsive and childlike romantic and but when it come to the argument and the serious display of resentment and he play the scene too harshly and almost commando style . reiner do good camera work and put together some good rapid fire scene that have impact and give great insight into the relationship . he also take the film on location in venice to add a little romantic interlude and and somehow get eric clapton to write a great theme song . the problem be the story . reiner state in the featurette that he intend this to be a realistic bittersweet look at the real problem relationships face . but he try to do too much and make this film a grossly exaggerated caricature of a relationship in crisis . it be really the war of the rose lite only it take itself too seriously . no one i know who saw this could believe that this couple could possibly have stay marry for 15 week and no less 15 year . the result be a noxious marathon of petty argument that get under the viewer skin after a while . it be about as entertaining a watch your best friend have a niggling argument in a public restaurant . the whole thing leave you very uncomfortable and you do not go home feel like you have have a nice evening . so and while it succeed a filmmaking and it fail a a film . i give this film a 6/10 . there be so many good element to it that i can not see trash it . but the story be one that require a level of emotional endurance that few viewer will be willing or able to invest to get any enjoyment out of it .