Modern romantic comedies often play it safe, but "Splitsville"—the new film from director Michael Angelo Covino—throws caution to the wind, delivering a sharply funny, sometimes painfully honest look at the chaos of love, fidelity, and self-discovery. Released in late August 2025 and currently showing at AMC Boston Common and Landmark Kendall Square, "Splitsville" stars Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona, Kyle Marvin, Michael Angelo Covino, Nicholas Braun, David Castañeda, O-T Fagbenle, Charlie Gillespie, and Simon Webster. With a cast this strong and a premise this bold, it’s no wonder critics are buzzing.
The film wastes no time jumping into the heartache. According to the Boston Herald, the story opens with Carey (played by Kyle Marvin), a gym teacher, and his wife Ashley (Adria Arjona), a podcaster and life coach, driving along a highway. Their marriage, only fourteen months old, appears to be teetering on the edge—though at first glance, they seem like any other couple. Carey’s idea of excitement is booking pottery classes, while Ashley craves something more daring. The tension between their differing desires is palpable, and in a moment that is both absurd and revealing, Ashley clarifies, “I meant sexual,” when Carey suggests pottery as a new experience.
But the couple’s simmering issues are brought to a boil by a sudden car accident. Stopping to help, they find a woman thrown clear of her wrecked vehicle. The shock of the moment prompts Ashley to confront her own mortality—and her marriage. Right there on the roadside, she decides to get a divorce, admitting to Carey that she’s been having affairs and no longer wants to be married. As Richard Crouse notes, “She is a podcaster and life coach who says things like, ‘If it isn’t said, it can’t be put to bed,’ he’s a laid-back guy with a penchant for Dad jokes—Still wanna go to the beach house? Are you shore?—who dreams of starting a family.” That contrast between their personalities is as much the film’s engine as the accident itself.
After the crash, Carey finds himself wandering the countryside, a visual metaphor for his emotional disarray. Eventually, he arrives at the lakeside home of his childhood best friend Paul (played by Covino), who lives there with his wife Julie (Dakota Johnson) and their young son Russ (Simon Webster). The dynamic between Paul and Carey is immediately intimate—Paul even checks Carey for ticks in the shower, a scene that’s both comic and oddly touching.
Paul and Julie’s marriage, at first glance, seems perfect. But as the group settles in, the couple reveals a bombshell: their secret to happiness is an open relationship. As Richard Crouse recounts, “At the beach house Paul and Julie offer up a mix of condolences, jabs—‘You married a life coach, what did you expect?’—and a startling confession. The secret to their seemingly perfect union, they say, is an open relationship.” Julie, for instance, is free to sleep with anyone—even Carey, as Paul casually points out. This revelation sets off a chain reaction of jealousy, insecurity, and temptation.
The film’s structure is anything but conventional. Like Covino and Marvin’s previous collaboration, "The Climb," "Splitsville" is filled with elaborately choreographed long takes and one-take set pieces that allow the drama—and the comedy—to unfold in real time. The Associated Press describes the movie as belonging "more to a screwball tradition stretching back to the 1930s," evoking memories of classic comedies starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. Yet, it’s also undeniably modern, with references to "Vanilla Sky," digs about New Balance sneakers, and a late-film appearance by Nicholas Braun as a mentalist that injects a dose of contemporary absurdity.
As the four central characters—Carey, Ashley, Paul, and Julie—navigate the shifting sands of desire and loyalty, the movie becomes less a romantic triangle and more an adult game of musical chairs. Bonds are tested, boundaries are crossed, and nobody escapes unscathed. The film doesn’t shy away from the messiness of adult relationships. As Richard Crouse observes, "It’s absurd, and knee-slappingly funny, but it also hits the heart." The humor is often broad, with moments of farce and even male nudity, but the emotional stakes are always present—especially during an extended fight between Carey and Paul that’s as hilarious as it is raw.
Despite the laughs, "Splitsville" is ultimately a carefully observed look at the difference between desire and romance. The characters’ attempts to find happiness—whether through open relationships, new experiences, or simply running away from their problems—often lead them back to where they started. The Associated Press notes, "In a movie about infidelity where everyone is lying more to themselves than to their partners, those patterns effectively lead back to where everyone started." The cyclical nature of their struggles is both comic and poignant, echoing the real-life challenges many face in love and marriage.
The performances are uniformly strong, but Dakota Johnson stands out as Julie, bringing a watchful poise and understated wit to the proceedings. According to the Associated Press, "Just her watchful poise brings a welcome perspective on the mostly male mayhem around her." For Johnson, it’s another turn in a year that’s seen her caught between the affections of two men—she also starred in "Materalists" earlier in 2025.
"Splitsville" has earned high marks from critics, with the Associated Press awarding it an A- and praising its uncommonly adult approach to comedy. The film is rated R for language, sexual content, and graphic nudity—so it’s not one for the kids, but adults looking for a smart, funny, and sometimes uncomfortable exploration of modern relationships will find plenty to chew on.
What sets "Splitsville" apart isn’t just its willingness to tackle difficult subjects with humor and honesty, but its refusal to offer easy answers. The movie’s farcical veneer masks a deeper meditation on the nature of self-acceptance, jealousy, and the search for meaning in love. As Richard Crouse puts it, "Underneath its comedy veneer is a carefully observed look at desire vs. romance." It’s a film that recognizes how, sometimes, the only way to move forward is to admit what’s broken—and to laugh at the mess along the way.
In a summer crowded with formulaic blockbusters, "Splitsville" stands out as a rare gem: a comedy that dares to be both silly and sophisticated, heartbreaking and hilarious. For anyone who’s ever wondered if love can survive the chaos of real life, this film offers no guarantees—just a wild, unforgettable ride.
