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6.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Slightly Married remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies that feel like they were written on the back of a napkin during a lunch break, sure. It is a quick watch for people who enjoy old-school melodrama that doesn't quite know if it’s a comedy or a serious drama. If you need logic or actual chemistry between leads, you’ll probably want to skip this one entirely.
The whole premise of Slightly Married is built on a foundation of pure nonsense. You have a girl in court, a drunk stranger deciding to play hero, and a judge who clearly didn't have enough coffee that morning. The fact that the court just decides to marry them is… well, it’s a choice.
The movie moves so fast it almost leaves you behind. One minute she is pleading her case, the next she is someone’s wife by way of a gavel strike. It makes me think of The Woman of Lies, where the stakes felt a bit more grounded even when the plot got tangled up.
There is this one moment in the courtroom where the silence just hangs there. It’s awkward, but not in a way that feels intentional. It’s like the actors forgot their lines or the director just wanted to see if we were still paying attention. I wasn't, really.
I couldn't help but think about how much tighter this could have been if they just cut the fluff. It reminds me of the pacing issues I had with The Splendid Crime, though at least that one had a bit more grit. This one just feels like it’s coasting on fumes.
Is it a bad movie? Not necessarily. It’s just thin. It’s the kind of thing you watch while folding laundry and don’t feel bad about missing a few minutes here and there. Sometimes, a movie is just a movie, and that’s perfectly fine. 🤷♂️