One morning the Castleman are woken up by a sudden call from The Nobel Prize, announcing that Joseph (Jonathan Pryce) has won the literature award. His wife Joan (Glenn Close) react happily but some reservations of his husband victory.

This is the story of the film The Wife. The film takes place in 1992 with the family living in the seaside of Connecticut with two kids. One of them Susannah already married and expecting a baby, the other one named David, an aspiring writer trying to follow in the footsteps of his dad.

The film cuts back to 1968 when young Joan (Annie Starke) meets with his professor young Joseph ( Harry Lloyd) already married and with a kid, always trying to take advantages with his students. Joan is interested in Joseph, but she doesn't want to become a homewrecker, however, Joseph flirts with her constantly, causing them to fall in love and subsequently Joseph leaves his wife and son for Joan. The film cuts again to 1992 when Joan, Joseph, and David travel to Stockholm for the award ceremony. During this trip is when the spectator-witness Joan frustration for Joseph victory and his mistreatment on his son David.

Director Björn Runge creates a parallel between Joan and Joseph earlier an apparent happy times versus their older times when the burden of being a beloved wife takes its toll. Joan was also a very talented writer, but she sacrificed all for the success of his husband while she stayed home taking care of the kid's. At the same time, Joseph is playing the famous writer flirting with girls and getting involved with every woman he can. The big revelation right by the Noble Prize ceremony comes when the audience discovers that Joan is the author of Joseph work, while he is just an editor of Joan's work, the pure irony of knowing that the award is false.

Over the curse of 100 minutes, we are reminded of the powerful role of women in the development of a healthy family, but also how much sacrifice they do, leaving behind careers and dreams to be as big as their husbands. Their sad story is represented in the younger years of Joan in the 1950s when women are trying to succeed in the misogynist world of men.

Glenn Close creates a powerful character who is capable show much emotion and communicate t the audience by staring at the camera in a blank stare.