The Story of Us

Director: Rob Reiner
Producer: Rob Reiner, Alan Zweibel, Jessie Nelson
Screenwriter: Alan Zweibel, Jessie Nelson
Stars: Bruce Willis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Julie Hagerty, Red Buttons, Rob Reiner, Paul Reiser, Betty White, Rita Wilson
MPAA Rating: R
Year of Release: 1999
Released on Video: 02/15/2000

A man and woman meet, say their vows, have children, then slowly grow apart. Now comes the hard part: staving off a divorce. Rather than tell the kids, Katie and Ben send them off to summer camp, then begin a trial separation. Their attempts at making a fresh start are interspersed with flashbacks to their happier days. Eventually, with time apart, they learn how to repair their life together.

Viewing Suggestion:

Watch how Katie and Ben struggle for a long time but eventually find a way to make their relationship work. Notice especially how they struggle with poor communication and differences in their temperaments.

Ask Yourself:

- Do you believe that you cannot make your relationship work because you are too different from your partner?
- Are your able to communicate better than Katie and Ben?
- If not, how could you improve your communication? Communicating well helps you to “step into your partner’s shoes” and therefore understand and empathize with him or her. Empathy helps to bridge many difference in your personalities.