Scenes from a Marriage Episode 5 of Hagai Levi’s remake of the 1973 Swedish series of the same name by Ingmar Bergman marks the finale of this limited series. It takes us to the next phase of Mira and Jon’s story since Jon’s storming out during the last episode and, Mira helplessly signing the divorce agreement. The mini-series is led by Oscar Issac (as Jonathan) and Jessica Chastain (as Mira), who play a married couple going through every big and small nuance present in a marriage. Each episode is an hour-long and is called a “scene” in the opening credits, making the audience feel like they are witnessing a play.
– Scenes from a Marriage Episode 5 review contains mild spoilers –
Scenes from a Marriage Episode 5: In the Middle of the Night, in a Dark House, Somewhere in the World
Scenes from a Marriage Episode 5 picks up four years after the events from the last episode. Jonathan is visiting his family for his father’s funeral. Mira is meeting Poli but, it’s just a business deal. In two separate locations, the duo seems to reflect and revise on what they have learned in the last 4 episodes that accounts for their turbulent marriage. Jon is truthful and finally speaks up about how his father has always been a difficult man to be with, whereas, Mira is doing okay with her career and instead of running behind big deals, she is more focused on driving the mom wagon.
It all looks like both Jon and Mira have made irrevocable progress to finally be independent, emotionally, only that is not all. As the night falls, Jon is picked up by Mira and they both drive to their old house which has now been converted into a part-time Airbnb since their departure. This is the first time we witness the duo enter the house together, hinting towards a kind of mutual ground they stand on, away from the bickering of their past. They explore the house as they also explore their thoughts on love and being loved. And, thankfully this time around nothing ends in a fight because they are finally free yet tangibly attached to one another.
Image Credit: Still from HBO’s Scenes from a Marriage 
Image Credit: Still from HBO’s Scenes from a Marriage
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The finale is an apotheosis of every other event that has happened: Mira and Jon are in a peculiar but, better place. They are always going to be this way for no love can ever be the same as the way they’ve loved each other. Exiting the marriage has given them the space to be themselves without putting any expectations on one another. And now, they can finally breathe words instead of spitting poison towards each other.
Like, Mira says, “It is what it is, it’s not what it’s not.” Because even if the couple is back together it is not exactly a bed of roses when consequences hit them. But somehow we know that this will be the eventual fate of Jonathan and Mira: Being together, no matter how deranged the way might look.
The end of the episode is a nod to Bergman’s genius as we find Jon waking up from a dreadful nightmare much like Liv Ullman did in the original. Mira holds onto a feverish Jon and says, “In the middle of the night, without any fanfare, in a dark house somewhere in the world.” When Jon asks, “what’s that?”, she says, “It is from a movie”, giving a callback to Ingmar Bergman.
Image Credit: Still from HBO’s Scenes from a Marriage
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With the last take, we get a view of what happens next behind-the-scenes, where we see Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain walking off the set, hand in hand, like old friends who know they have convinced their audience to find themselves in the characters of Mira and Jonathan.
Scenes from a Marriage Episode 5: Final Verdict
Scenes from a Marriage‘s fifth episode is not extravagant and there is no climax that leaves you short of breath. However, it does stimulate your consciousness to think about the aspects of monogamy, marriage and most importantly, tenderness of love.
Image Credit: Still from HBO’s Scenes from a Marriage 
Image Credit: Still from HBO’s Scenes from a Marriage
You can stream all five episodes of Scenes from a Marriage now on Disney+ Hotstar. For the recap of all the previous episodes from Scenes from a Marriage, click here.
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