As it turns out, the real story in "Married in America" is often moving, sometimes sad and occasionally hilarious. What makes a couple decide to get married? And what challenges do they face going in? Is it possible to predict the outcome of a marriage based on what each individual brings to the union or on what obstacles they have overcome, together or alone, in the past? The first film in Apted's series focuses on the days and weeks leading up to the weddings, celebrations as diverse as the couples themselves. The couples speak candidly about how they met, how they fell in love, how they decided to get married, and what hopes and dreams they have for the future.

"I wanted to find couples who would allow me to cover as many bases as possible," says Apted. "I had the obvious bases of ethnicity, religion and second marriages, and the less obvious ones of whirlwind romances, childhood sweethearts, economically challenged marriages, ones with children already in the relationship."

Some of the couples are remarkable. The childhood sweethearts, for example, -- a black-white interracial couple -- first met when they were 4 and 5 years old and remained close until they decided to get married in their mid-20s, despite initial opposition from the groom's Haitian mother. Another interracial couple, in which the Filipina bride is a Christian and the groom is Jewish, also faced resistance from his family. Though both mothers have made peace with their sons' choices by the time the weddings take place, one of the couples seems to have weathered its problems well and grown stronger in the process, while the other union is already showing cracks.

In some cases, such as the marriage in which the husband has served a prison term for rape, it's hard not to think that the odds are stacked against them. But some of the couples who might look the worst on paper come across as the strongest. It's impossible to tell how a couple will react to a challenge, Apted says: "If a same-sex couple has more pressure going in, they may have to think it through more." In any case, he refrains from making predictions. "I wouldn't dream of telling you if I had [any]," he says. "That's the lottery side of the project. Everyone who sees the film will say, 'Well, they won't make it.' Or, 'They'll do well.' That's the fun of it."

"Married in America" shares the same sense of exuberance that made "Seven Up" memorable. But if you've seen "42 Up," Apted's most recent installment, in which we find out how far adult reality can stray from childhood dreams, the optimistic spirit of "Married in America" seems even more poignant. For this series, Apted and his crew will visit the couples every two years, whether or not they remain together, to document how their individual marriages have evolved and to explore how the institution of marriage has changed.

Future films will include footage from earlier ones, and the participants' expectations will be measured against their present realities. According to statistics, some of these marriages won't even survive the first cycle -- and some of these couples will surely regret having signed on to Apted's project in the first place.

Anyone who has ever been frustrated with the "happily ever after" denouement of love stories, and who has really just wanted to know what happens next, should find ample satisfaction in "Married in America." Apted has a knack for spotting the high points in life and letting people's stories roll easily and gently downhill from there. In fact, having seen how some of those little kids from "Seven Up" turned out, you might regret tuning in to "Married in America" in the first place. Who knows how many tissues will be sacrificed at its altar? If you can't handle it, I suggest you get out now. Watching "Married in America" isn't just some fling. It's a serious commitment.

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