This review was originally published on May 22, 2025, as part of our Cannes Film Festival coverage.
In the opening sequence of Michael Angelo Covino’s relationship dramedy, Splitsville, married couple Ashley (Adria Arjona) and Carey (Kyle Marvin) are on their way to visit their friends Julie (Dakota Johnson) and Paul (Covino). Spontaneously, Ashley puts the moves on her hubby while he’s driving to spice up the relationship. Apparently, she’s been longing for a Sєxual awakening in her marriage and thinks a car ride is the perfect time. But when their impulses lead to a fatal accident, Ashley decides it’s time for a divorce, forcing them to part ways on the spot.
After several hilarious encounters on his hike to Paul and Julie’s, Carey finally arrives to deliver the bad news to his friends. Practically begging for advice by the end of the night, Paul and Julie finally reveal that they prevented any potential relationship issues by having an open marriage. Essentially, they can have Sєx with whomever they like, free of guilt and admission unless asked. A foreign concept but one that sparks his curiosity, Carey feels the urge to capitalize on his newfound information. The result? A wildly entertaining series of events and the basis for the hilarious conflict.
Splitsville’s Script Demonstrates The Absurdity Of Open Relationships
As A Result, Splitsville Leans Into Its Silliness By Returning Plenty Of Laugh-Out-Loud Moments
If the detailed synopsis of Splitsville sounds absurd to you, it wouldn’t be far from the truth. Covino and Marvin, who previously worked on the small indie hit The Climb reunite to deliver the entertaining goods with an explosive bang. At the heart of this comedy, the writing duo analyzes the complications of open relationships and how the rules are hypocritically different for men and women. By exploring how each character’s relationship with Sєx in partnerships intersect, the team behind this raunchy, hilarious feature deliver interconnected character studies that’ll make you feel like American comedies are back.
Johnson also delivers a fantastic performance thanks to the hilarious way she delivers her lines.
As the dynamics of this quartet maximize and become more challenging, the script transitions to one that enables us to understand all the characters as individuals. In recent memory, ensemble efforts of this nature have been severely lacking due to scripts not carving out adequate time for its stars. And though Arjona’s Ashley gets the shortest end of the stick here, thanks to a storyline that sees her begin her Sєxual awakening off-screen, she comes back with a literal and consistent bang (pun intended). Her comedic timing is also exceptional here, which is impressive.
Johnson’s role sees her having the most to do from a multi-component standpoint, in which she balances motherhood, marital dissatisfaction, and a long list of other elements that I wouldn’t dare spoil. Additionally, her interactions with the rest of the cast lead to some of the best sequences in the film. As expected, Johnson also delivers a fantastic performance thanks to the hilarious way she delivers her lines. While tailoring her energy where appropriate, Johnson stands out in ways that make her the reliable actress we know her to be.
Splitsville Relies On Its Great Cast To Provide The Electrifying Energy
One of the strengths of Splitsville is that Covino’s direction isn’t overly stylized despite the script having the potential for it. Instead of over-the-top camera work, he relies on the character dynamics and physical nature of certain sequences to generate the film’s energy. Undoubtedly, the major fight sequence from the first act will be a fan-favorite moment, and rightfully so. Covino and Marvin set it up perfectly on paper, then turn in electrifying performances that scream masculinity, absurdity, creativity, and pure entertainment. This isn’t an action film by any means, but this sequence alone could have you second guessing.
…the team behind this raunchy, hilarious feature deliver interconnected character studies that’ll make you feel like American comedies are back.
Splitsville doesn’t provide any profound commentary on the complexities of open relationships, but it didn’t have to. Thankfully, Covino and Marvin never insult our intelligence by over-explanatory dialogue and lectures. Instead, this talented writing duo focuses on what audiences want: human desire and the wild things we’ll do for connection. The road towards deciding what we want in relationships may be bumpy, but Covino and Marvin remind us that our decisions, no matter how ludicrous or unsound, are exactly what makes us human.
Splitsville premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and is now playing in select theaters, with a nationwide release on September 5.
