Getting extended applause at Cannes is a good sign for a movie, so Splitsville is off to a strong start ahead of its wide release: At the festival last month, the Dakota Johnson-starring movie enjoyed a six-minute ovation, as Variety notes.

The movie is the second from writer/director/producer/star Michael Angelo Covino, following his 2019 debut The Climb; His co-star, co-writer, and co-producer from that movie, Kyle Marvin, is back on board in the same roles for Splitsville, too.

As the film’s release nears, read on to learn everything you need to know about the movie before lining up at the theater.

Plot

The official logline reads:

“When Ashley (Arjona) asks for a divorce, the good-natured Carey (Marvin) runs to his friends, Julie (Johnson) and Paul (Covino), for support. Their secret to happiness is an open marriage; that is, until Carey crosses the line and throws all of their relationships into chaos.”

In a Hollywood Reporter interview, Covino explained, “The intention was very much not to make any kind of commentary on open relationships. I don’t have an agenda — Kyle and I don’t have a horse in this race. We’re not trying to make a statement about whether it works or doesn’t work. Everything we do starts from character. For us, it’s always about exploring these absurd situations. […] But I think, by nature, the inevitable conclusion of a story like this ends up being about some kind of acceptance — or at least reaching a point where you’re OK with things — because that’s kind of all we can do in life.

Cast

The cast is led by Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona, Kyle Marvin, Michael Angelo, Nicholas Braun, David Castañeda, and O-T Fagbenle.

Covino told The Hollywood Reporter of the cast:

“We really lucked out, casting two incredible actresses [Johnson and Arjona] who are wildly funny, but each in a way that felt perfectly tailored to their characters. […] Everyone who came onto this movie understood the tone. No one was winking at the camera. They all understood the sandbox we were playing in — where every character believes their problem is the most important problem in the world, and they’re playing it with complete commitment. There’s nothing funnier than that to me.”

Release Date

The film is set to hit select theaters on August 22, followed by a wide release on September 5.

Trailer

Check out the Splitsville trailer below.