Dir.
Adrian Lyne, US, 2002, 118mins
Cast:
Diane Lane , Erik Per Sullivan, Richard Gere, Oliveir Martinez
It's fair to say that Adrian Lyne is better known for the controversial content of his projects than for the quality of his filmmaking. This is unfortunate because, even in films such as Fatal Attraction and Lolita, Lyne has demonstrated a strong visual sense and the ability to extract convincing performances from his actors.
Lyne's latest release, Unfaithful, deals with the director's familiar themes of steamy sex and bloody violence. The film is set in New York, where Connie Sumner (Diane Lane) lives happily with her successful, loving husband Edward (Richard Gere). A chance encounter with Paul (Oliver Martinez), a young French book dealer, tempts Connie into a passionate and increasingly dangerous affair that eventually results in tragedy.
In its early scenes, Unfaithful promises to be a credible, even intelligent take on the well-worn tale of marital infidelity. Connie does not rush straight into the affair, but agonises over the stark choice she faces. Her physical desire for Paul is tempered by the responsibility she feels as a mother and wife. Edward is not written as the blissfully but improbably ignorant husband favoured by films of this type. Instead, he suspects that something is wrong and tries to extract the secret from his wife. It's only when he meets with obvious dishonesty that he resorts to having her followed and, ultimately, to taking matters into his own hands.
And this is where the film falls apart. The last half hour consists of a patchwork of scenes, thrown together with apparently little thought. It is disappointing that a writer of the quality of Alvin Sargent, who won an Oscar for the screenplay of Ordinary People, had to resort to such an empty, clichéd resolution to the story. Not even some fine touches from Lyne (one early shot down the aisle of a busy train is particularly noteworthy) can overcome a shallow script.
Lane, however, gives a terrific performance. She has some tremendous scenes, notably her train ride home after first succumbing to Paul's charms. Her face perfectly mirrors her feelings as she reflects on what she has done, shifting from ecstasy to guilt. She has an equally convincing scene when she stands at a payphone, debating whether or not to call Paul after their first brief meeting. Her understated but powerful performance is, quite frankly, more than this film deserves.
Unfaithful offers decent but ultimately unsatisfying entertainment, worth watching for Lane's superb, Oscar-nominated work.
Justin Whitton
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