Intermezzo

Ivan is in the small town of Clogherkeen, County Leitrim, for a chess club event at the local arts center. Ivan meets an attractive older woman named Margaret, who works at the arts center and has been tasked with assisting Ivan. He uses the opportunity to make her laugh.

While preparing for the exhibition game, Ivan contemplates anxiety and its implications on the dynamics between the mind and the body. This makes him think about his father’s death and Peter’s role in arranging the funeral. Ivan, by contrast, did nothing. He regrets this, but does not think it useful to dwell on his regrets.

Margaret returns to the arts center to watch the end of the exhibition game, charmed by Ivan. Ivan plays ten simultaneous games of chess against the club members and defeats all of them. After the event, Ivan approaches one of the players, a young girl, to applaud her effort and teach her where her play went wrong. Ivan and Margaret chat afterwards. At the pub, the chess club men vie for Ivan’s attention, ignoring Margaret’s presence. When Margaret asks Ivan if he was at risk of losing any of his games, he deprecates his own ability, but states that he was in no danger. Margaret encourages him to keep talking about chess when he tries to change the subject, indicating that she is always interested in other people’s passions. As Ivan talks to the chess club, Margaret fixates on their mutual use of the word “passionate,” deducing that Ivan may be sexually interested in her. She wonders if she is subconsciously projecting her own desires onto him as she drives him to his accommodations.

Margaret accepts Ivan’s invitation to come inside his holiday cottage. They awkwardly flirt and soon realize that they have an age difference of 14 years. Margaret learns that Ivan has recently lost his father and that his parents were separated. Ivan also mentions his brother, who is older than him by 10 years. When Ivan confirms that he isn’t boring Margaret, he shares his regrets over devoting too much of his youth to chess. He cannot help wondering what he missed out on. Margaret can relate—she got married early, though she is now separated, and wonders how else her life could have gone.

Ivan asks to kiss her. Margaret accepts because she wants to feel wanted by him. They reassure each other and have sex. Ivan is embarrassed that he finished so quickly. Margaret assures him that she enjoyed it.

The following morning, Margaret wonders if Ivan might brag about their sexual encounter, but he seems too nice to do that to her. When Margaret drives Ivan to his workshop, she asks him to be discreet about their night together. Ivan agrees. He gives Margaret his number to keep in touch. After dropping Ivan off, Margaret is struck with an exciting, unfamiliar feeling.

Peter calls Ivan. Ivan is evasive at first, but relents when Peter makes it clear that he just wants to check in. Ivan mentions that he met a woman in Leitrim, which impresses Peter. After discussing their father’s death, Peter suggests meeting for lunch. Feeling pleased with himself, Peter looks forward to sharing the development with Sylvia.

Naomi texts Peter to tell him that her bank account has gone into overdraft. Peter offers to send her some money. She asks him if he wants to meet up. He reflects on their mutually exploitative dynamic.

As Peter goes through a busy day’s work at court and in the classroom, he considers that death by suicide would benefit him and everyone in his life, except for Ivan. Naomi asks him over. Naomi’s friends are already there; Peter feels out of place once they start asking him questions about the legal profession. When Naomi shows Peter a court order evicting her from the property, Peter promises to read it more closely later on. Naomi learns that Peter has taken Xanax and alcohol, and offers to let him sleep in her room. Peter declines—he has to meet Sylvia the following morning. Jealous, Naomi acts worried about getting a sexually transmitted infection from Peter. Peter insinuates that Naomi is afraid of losing him as the source of her income.

Naomi’s friends ask Peter about the eviction letter. An antagonistic man who also lives in Naomi’s building asks Peter to explain their relationship. Peter thinks about how Naomi convinced Peter to break up with his then-girlfriend for her. Now that ex-girlfriend will soon marry, while he is stuck in Naomi’s apartment, grieving his father’s death. He abruptly leaves without saying goodbye.

Peter goes to Sylvia’s apartment. Relaxing in her presence, Peter admires Sylvia’s intellect and craves her attention and approval. He kisses her and starts to undress her. Sylvia stops him, reminding him of the physical pain it will cause her. Peter imagines sharing his life with Sylvia. They tell each other they love each other.

Margaret visits her friend Anna after work. She tells Anna about the chess club event and Ivan; Anna misses the point and responds by discussing her husband’s ability at chess. This makes Margaret think about the different ways they’ve grown older: Anna has a family while Margaret remains alone. Margaret sees Ivan as a welcome interruption to her monotonous life.

Ivan is trying to rehome his dog, Alexei, when Margaret calls. He is surprised, but pleased to hear from her. They flirt and Ivan suggests meeting again. When Margaret demurs that they are “at very different stages of [their] lives” (96), Ivan nervously answers that he doesn’t care about their age difference. Margaret has no choice but to care about it, but admits that she would like to see him again. Ivan agrees and encourages her to meet him, hoping for the possibility of sex.

Margaret waits for Ivan at the bus stop, nervous that someone might see her and spread gossip. As they drive to a house that Margaret has rented for the weekend, Ivan talks about his freelance work as a data analyst and as a delivery driver; highlighting the disparity between the work he renders and the pay he gets. In data analysis, he critiques the ambiguous value of the data he presents back to his clients. When Margaret tries to relate by comparing it to her work at the arts center, Ivan argues that he cannot justify the direct value he provides his clients in terms of profit—in contrast, Margaret’s work has value, which he directly benefited from because it allowed him to participate in the exhibition event.

At the rental cottage, Margaret tells Ivan that she prefers to live alone because she and her mother don’t get along. Ivan shares that his mother prefers her stepchildren to him. Peter doesn’t seem to get along with their mother Christine either, most likely because they both have dominant personalities. Ivan misses his father, who always seemed happy with him. Margaret apologizes for steering their conversation into such a sad topic, but Ivan points out that she always seems interested in what he has to say, which makes him feel good. They start kissing and have sex.

Ivan is satisfied by their mutual desire. He has a history of failed relationships, including one with a girl named Claire who clearly desired him but was so awkward that she made him feel unpleasant. Margaret hesitated before calling him, but only because the idea of their relationship did not seem sensible. But since her husband Ricky refuses to let go of her, and her mother sides with Ricky, calling Ivan is the least she could do to distract herself. When Ivan asks about her marriage, Margaret deflects. Ivan reassures Margaret that he is grateful that she called. Margaret cries, so he tries to console her.

Margaret is anxious when Ivan shows curiosity about her marriage, which leaves her unsure about pursuing a relationship with him. While they are walking, Ivan gets a call from his brother, who reminds him about their lunch plans. Ivan apologizes—he forgot and is unable to make it back to Dublin. When Ivan explains the situation to Margaret, he describes his brother as a funny person who has multiple girlfriends. Margaret worries over what Ivan’s brother might think if he knew how old she was. Ivan understands this worry, knowing that people in Margaret’s life might feel similarly about him.