Is This The Bed We Lie In?

The short film Is This The Bed We Lie In? questions marital values through a moral and spiritual conundrum that a couple faces. Joseph McGovern expertly presents a unique, controversial perspective on preemptive infidelity, exploring the idea that, whilst being in love and committed to somebody, satisfaction may be needed outside of the marriage.

Jennifer and Robert are a married couple. They usually have no trouble with intimacy; however, Jennifer is dissatisfied with the marital routine they have fallen into. Robert spends his days at work, whilst Jennifer, a housewife, eagerly awaits the 1 hour and 45 minutes they will spend talking to each other every day. Marriage can be restricting, especially considering the patriarchal standards which are set when entering such a contract. A marriage is a legally binding romantic loyalty, but this doesn’t seem to be working for Jennifer, as she opens up about her desire to explore her sexuality.

Is This The Bed We Lie In? is particularly short. The film consists of only one scene, which lasts just a few minutes. Despite its short runtime, the film adopts a deep-seated approach, painting a clear, profound picture of the two characters.

Constance Reshey (Jennifer) and Joel Blanco (Robert) are closely shot throughout the short piece. The couple’s conversation takes place in their bedroom, a shared intimate space providing a safe and private environment for the two to open up.

From the film’s opening, the audience is made aware of the differing headspaces between the pair. Robert is filmed front-on and close-up, wearing bright pink and dressing himself. It is as if he is fully prepared for and endorsed within the marital commitment he is in. By presenting Robert’s comfort and readiness in his position as a husband, the film conveys integral ideas on how the institution of marriage solely benefits the man. Meanwhile, Jennifer is shot side-on, hunched over and blue, foreshadowing the revelation that marriage is not entirely meeting her needs and acting as a symbolic contrast, as women often must sacrifice their freedom to conform to the role of being a wife.

Both Reshey and Blanco commit to a soft acting style. Viewers can sense their comfort around one another, as well as their ability to be fully vulnerable. Through subtle body language and a directorial focus on the two actors’ facial expressions, the viewer is provided with a touching, almost invasive perspective on the two characters’ emotional turmoil.

Towards the end of this short piece, as Jennifer opens up to Robert, she breaks out of the stereotypical role of wife. She towers over him, holding and comforting him, actions and movements which are usually associated with the male counterpart of a relationship. Her desire to break free from marital conventions is followed by Robert’s hesitance to deny that from her, bringing her closer to the autonomy she so desires. Thus, her movements are no longer reluctant and submissive, and she is no longer sullen.

Viewers may feel misaligned with Jennifer’s desires morally, as what she desires is certainly controversial and clearly hurtful to Robert. However, there is a heartwarmingness to this film which comes through the honesty and tenderness both characters possess. There is something slightly alien about Reshey and Blanco’s performances, an absurdness that aligns with the idea that marriage itself is an implausible construct for two people who may love one another but also desire freedom. The film, therefore, through its careful direction and delicate performance styles, presents the flaws of their marriage marvellously and poignantly, not providing a solution to the characters’ conundrum but letting us sit with it, just as Jennifer and Robert must.