The new comedy Splitsville takes a sharp and funny look at what happens when modern relationship ideas collide with old-fashioned human emotions. The film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025 and was released widely in September, follows two couples whose lives are turned upside down after a divorce and a secret open marriage are revealed. Instead of a simple happy ending, the film closes with a realistic picture of love’s complexities, showing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to making a relationship work.
Starring Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona, Michael Angelo Covino, and Kyle Marvin, the movie has been praised for its honest and humorous take on modern love. For anyone who has wondered if there’s a secret formula to a perfect relationship, Splitsville suggests that the answer is much more complicated—and messy—than it seems.
What Happens in Splitsville?
The story begins with married couple Carey (Kyle Marvin) and Ashley (Adria Arjona) on a drive that takes a darkly comedic turn. After witnessing a fatal car accident, a shaken Ashley tells Carey she wants a divorce and has been unfaithful. A devastated Carey runs to the beach house of his best friend, Paul (Michael Angelo Covino), and Paul’s wife, Julie (Dakota Johnson), for support.
To Carey’s surprise, Paul and Julie reveal that the secret to their seemingly happy marriage is an open relationship. They explain that they are allowed to have sexual experiences with other people. While Paul is away on a trip, Julie and Carey end up sleeping together. This single act throws all of their relationships into chaos. Paul reacts with intense jealousy, leading to a violent and hilarious fight, proving that their “sophisticated” arrangement was not as simple as they claimed.
Back home, Carey proposes to Ashley that they also try an open marriage to avoid divorce. Ashley agrees, but the situation becomes increasingly complicated as Carey grows closer to Julie, and Ashley sees that his feelings have changed.
The Complicated Ending for Paul and Julie
The film’s conclusion reveals that the open marriage between Paul and Julie was built on a foundation of insecurity, not mutual understanding. In a key moment, Paul admits that he never actually slept with anyone else. He had proposed the open marriage because he was secretly afraid that Julie, who he felt was out of his league, would eventually leave him. He thought giving her permission would make her stay.
Similarly, Julie confesses that she also never slept with anyone else during their open marriage. She had only agreed to the arrangement because she thought it was what Paul wanted. Their entire open relationship was a performance, a fact that comes to light after Paul’s business fails and he faces financial ruin and jail time.
In the end, Julie files for divorce. However, the film does not show a clean break. At their son Russ’s birthday party, Paul and Julie end up sleeping together again. The final scenes show that they are not officially back together as a couple but continue to have a sexual relationship. They have sold their beach house, which is now an Airbnb, but they still spend time there with Carey and Ashley, suggesting that their connection, however complicated, remains.
The Surprising Reconciliation of Carey and Ashley
Meanwhile, Carey and Ashley’s story takes several turns. After his relationship with Julie deepens, Carey seems to have moved on from Ashley. At the birthday party, Ashley tries to win Carey back, singing a song that reminds him of their past. Carey admits that he was always jealous of her other lovers and only befriended them to make her angry.
Just as it seems Carey has chosen Julie, he walks in on her with Paul. This leads to a moment of clarity for him. Soon after, Ashley openly proposes they get back together. The film then jumps forward in time to show that Carey and Ashley have reconciled and have a baby together. They appear to have returned to a traditional, monogamous relationship, having navigated their way through the chaos and back to each other.
The Final Scene and Its Meaning
The movie ends where it began: at the beach house. All four adults are together again. In a scene that mirrors one from the start of the film, Carey and Paul get into another physical fight with a neighbor who accuses their son of stealing a jet ski. This repetition shows that while their relationship statuses have changed, their fundamental personalities and the nature of their friendship have not. They are still the same people, figuring things out as they go.
The ending refuses to judge which relationship model is better. Instead, it presents a messy reality where love and friendship persist despite mistakes and unconventional choices. The final shot implies that there is no perfect ending, just an ongoing effort to make things work with the people who matter most.
What the Film Says About Modern Relationships
Splitsville works as a smart comedy because it finds humor in human weakness. The biggest laughs come from watching characters who claim to be above jealousy suddenly become overwhelmed by it. The film suggests that emotional honesty is more important than following a specific relationship trend. The problems begin not because of open marriage itself, but because the characters are not truly honest with each other or themselves about their fears and desires.
The film also touches on the idea that complex relationship styles can sometimes be a “luxury belief”—easier to manage for those with financial and social stability. When Paul and Julie’s wealth disappears, the fragility of their arrangement becomes even more apparent.
Ultimately, Splitsville argues that love is not about finding a perfect formula but about navigating the messy, unpredictable, and often funny challenges that come with caring for other people.
