Newlyweds is the latest from writer/director Edward “Ed” Burns. A lot of people only know him as an actor, but I first came upon him with 1995’s The Brothers McMullen. True, he did star in the film, but it was also his first feature as writer/director.  I followed him to She’s the One (with Cameron Diaz (when she was still acting and doing little indies) and Jennifer Aniston (who only had 2 seasons of “Friends” under her belt at that point) the next year. I could go on. All of his films are lovely little slices of life; gems made with a limited budget usually starring his friends and very personal. Newlyweds would appear to be no exception. I follow Ed Burns on Twitter so I’ve been following the production of Newlyweds for some time. Burns shot the thing on the thinnest of shoestrings (seriously-$9000) and even enlisted his twitter followers for help with such things as choosing the poster and the naming of characters.

The official synopsis:

Buzzy (Edward Burns) and Katie (Caitlin Fitzgerald) are a newly married couple living a seemingly conflict-free life. But when Buzzy’s damaged and impulsive half-sister Linda (Kerry Bishe who starred in Burns’ last film, Nice Guy Johnny) arrives at their doorstep expecting to stay for an indefinite period in their Tribeca loft, her antics threaten to disrupt the couple’s commitment to an “easy” marriage. Meanwhile, with Katie’s sister Marsha projecting suspicions of her own husband’s infidelity onto Buzzy, will the couple’s formerly trusting and insulated life be able to withstand the dysfunctions of their respective siblings?

Completing the cast is Caitlin Fitzgerald as Burns’ wife Katie, Marsha Dietlein as Katie’s sister Marsha, and Max Baker as Marsha’s husband. Newlyweds opens December 26.