Three Upcoming Marriage Films: ‘Married Life,’ ‘27 Dresses,’ ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’

If 2007 was the year of the war films [1], at least a portion of 2008 is focusing on the eternal vows of matrimony.

Without even researching others, three 2008 films on the topic of navigating the ups and downs and marriage have all proactively popped onto my film radar in the last 12 hours alone.

First up we have the romantic drama “The Time Traveler’s Wife” with the adorably talented Rachel McAdams (“The Notebook”) and Eric Bana (“Munich,” “Troy”). Here’s the plot outline:

“The Time Traveler’s Wife” is a romantic drama about a Chicago librarian (Eric Bana) with a gene that causes him to involuntarily time travel and the complications it creates for his marriage.

First-look production stills have just surfaced for “The Time Traveler’s Wife” on Filmz [2]. I first learned about these from a Jan. 1 /Film post [3]. “The Time Traveler’s Wife” has an unknown 2008 open date.

Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana in “The Time Traveler’s Wife”.
Photo credit: Filmz [4]

Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana in “The Time Traveler’s Wife”.
Photo credit: Filmz [5]
Rachel McAdams in The Time Traveler's Wife

Rachel McAdams in “The Time Traveler’s Wife”.
Photo credit: Filmz [6]

Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams in “The Time Traveler’s Wife”.
Photo credit: Filmz [7]

“Married Life,” which is slated to open on March 7, 2008, is next up on the theme. It’s ironically another marriage film again with McAdams.

Rachel McAdams for “Married Life”.
Photo credit: WireImage.com
The film, which is co-written by Ira Sachs and Oren Moverman (a co-writer of “I’m Not There”), stars Pierce Brosnan, Chris Cooper and McAdams. “Married Life” director Ira Sachs (“Forty Shades of Blue”) will speak with Chicago critics in January. Here’s the plot outline:

It’s a 1940s-set drama where an adulterous man plots his wife’s death instead of putting her through the humiliation of a divorce.

Finally, we have Katherine Heigl who got “Knocked Up” in 2007. She’s always a bridesmaid but never a bride in “27 Dresses” from “The Devil Wears Prada” scribe Aline Brosh McKenna.

Katherine Heigl in “27 Dresses”.
Photo credit: IMDb
The romantic comedy “27 Dresses” is scheduled to hit theaters on Jan. 11. Here’s the plot outline:

After serving as a bridesmaid 27 times, a young woman (Katherine Heigl) wrestles with the idea of standing by her sister’s side as her sibling marries the man she’s secretly in love with.