“Who in here is not getting any sex?”

When things start to fall apart in a relationship, when the proverbial writing is on the wall, or when giving it another shot just seems like that one shot too many, the area where the first cracks usually appear is in the ‘bedroom-department’. 

Yes, ‘the old in-out’ is not just out, it’s gone, lost, disappeared altogether. 

Exactly one of the reasons why after 31 years of marriage, Kay (Meryl Streep) and Arnold Soames (Tommy Lee Jones) decide to seek help from world-renowned marriage counsellor Dr Bernie Feld (Steve Carrell) – their bonfire of passion is down to a few miserable smouldering stumps, and rekindling the fiery flame of passion their relationship once knew has become a desperate priority. Of course, with ‘in’ having been out for such a long time, having them mount a bucking rodeo-bull might be easier to do than each other.

Director David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada) manages to set the tone for each of the characters’ journey distinctly clear from the word go and it’s a joy to sit back and see it all unfold with two actors whose craft is at an all-time high.

For Kay the loss of intimacy in her and Arnold’s marriage is often too tangible and at times quite simply too much to bear, especially when you have to deal with a man that would much rather watch cable television and focus on how to perfect his golf swing, than mend his broken marriage. 

“Sometimes when a connection is lost we forget how to want one another.”

When the pair visits Dr Bernie, Arnold is met with a man every bit as stubborn as himself, one whose philosophy is ‘you have to break a nose in order to fix it - and you never break a nose slowly’. With that, the stage is set for an epic show-down and some heavy emotional hitting with both Kay and Arnold having to face the fact that they are both guilty of having been fighters more often than lovers. 

Fortunately, where there is a will there is a way. Sometimes all you have to do is come clean about everything, say you are sorry, and then live by your word from that day forth so as to remove any doubt.

In ‘Hope Springs’ we are reminded of this simple truth yet again, that things can change, when people honestly desire for them to change. That every great marriage goes through tough times, but that you should hold on. There comes a time when you as a couple will look back to that moment and realise that it was simply the prelude to something far richer than you ever could have dreamt. 

  “It’s for anyone

 who truly wants it, and are willing to try”.

Relationships are hard work. ‘Hope Springs’ shows us the joy and fulfillment you can share when you just go back to the basics. Like the lyrics of the song says: ‘Love me for the woman I am, and I will love you for being my man’. 

If you haven’t seen this movie yet go rent a copy and make sure that you do. It will have hope spring up in you again too.