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Unfaithful (Widescreen Edition)

Unfaithful (Widescreen Edition)

List Price: $14.98
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: DIANE LANE is sheer class in brilliant, cool & sexy movie!
Review: This was one of the best thrillers I have seen this year. Well directed with a very hypnotic quality. The film has everything, it's sexy, it's stylish, it's engrossing, it's gripping, and it's cool. Furthermore, it has one of the best female performances I have ever witnessed. DIANE LANE (The Perfect Storm, Streets Of Fire) is absolutely sensational. The acting by all (including Richard Gere and the unbelieveably delicious Olivier Martinez) was very strong, but this is Diane Lane's movie. "Unfaithful" is a terrific movie, which is near perfect in every regard. 5 stars!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Erotic Thriller ... Not
Review: Adrian Lyne says that he likes his films to keep people talking about the nature of human relationships.

I wonder if he meant that he likes to keep people yawning.

A creative stretch for Lyne, UNFAITHFUL is a far more richly layered story than he's told in the past (think FATAL ATTRACTION mixed with PRESUMED INNOCENT). Sadly, however, while he spends the first half of the film drawing us into this complex web of characters, he leaves the second act a predictable mess with no ending -- opting out of the true crisis in favor of rehashing his FATAL ATTRACTION ending with an uninspired twist.

The real star of the film is Diane Lane. Always beautiful, she rises to the occasion as Connie Sumner, a not-so-clear-work-or-stay-at-home-mom who has a job (something to do with raising money for charities through an auction) but seemingly no responsibilities to it. She imbues Connie with a vulnerable passion while the script sorely lacks a motivation for her to face the risky prospects associated to being unfaithful. An unlikely meeting between her and a young French book dealer (who, as well, seems to have no responsibilities to his said profession) meet, sparks ignite REALLY quickly, and they're in the sack before you can say, "Can I offer you some tea?"

Richard Gere plays her husband, the subdued Ed Sumner, who eventually learns of the affair. His feelings of inadequacy in his marriage fuel him to hire a private investigator who rather quickly snaps some incriminating photos of Connie and the Frenchman. Then, in perhaps the most unlikely turn of events, Ed decides to pay a visit and ... well, I'll leave something for those who are intent on seeing the film.

Much of the critical praise has been directed at Lane, and there's no argument here. However, a significant portion of the heaped praise has surrounded the sensuality that Lane brings to the role of Connie; while there is a deep undercurrent of unbridled passion, very little of it is truly seen on film. Instead, Lyne takes his usual way out: close-ups of Lane's tortured expressions (which do work quite well); the glint of light reflecting off her porcelain body while taking a bath; and one bout of sex with dirty words thrown in for expediency. The one true sensuous scene is Connie's first seduction: it's a cinema moment not easily forgotten.

Worth the view for those who think sex is art, but UNFAITHFUL is certainly no date movie, as Lyne purports. Were he faithful to the idea of keeping his central character (Connie) the centerpiece of the film, he might've succeeded in creating both.

But, alas, even he is unfaithful.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Faithless
Review: If you were in a long lasting marriage or a long term relationship do you think if the oppertunity presented itself you would ever cheat on your spouse? Do you think you would ever act on a feeling of lust you feel in one moment? That's a theme that is under the surface of "Unfaithful", the new film directed by Adrian Lyne, based on the Claude Chabrol film "La Femme Infidele".
As much as I wanted to like "Unfaithful" I just felt cheated even disappointed. The opening moments, infact, the first hour of the film seem so utterly pointless, it seems to be handled so badly that by the time something interesting does happen, we've been sitting in the theatre so long, we're already bored, waiting for the film to end.
If that isn't bad enough, we can't figure out why Diane Lane starts to have an affair. She has a beautiful house in the country, from what I hear woman say, being married to Richard Gere isn't a bad thing either, and she has a son. Everything seems just about perfect in her life, but for some unexplainable reason, Lane acts on that "lust for the moment" feeling she gets. This is what breaks the film. Why would she jeopardize her whole life with her family with this other man played by Oliver Martinez (Who acted in the 1996 film, "The Horseman on the Roof").
I don't like movies where I'm suppose to sympathize with a woman when she cheats on her husband, because I know if it was done in reverse, no one would ever find the situation to be romantic, or take the man's side. But, if your going to make a movie like this, then at least come up with a reason as to why the woman is doing it!
"Unfaithful" does have it's good sides, which is what makes it hard for me not to be able to recommend this movie. Richard Gere and Diane Lane turn in very good performances. And, Gere really out does himself. The directing is strong, and Lyne has a way of telling the story in a way where we are never "really" bored, but, the film never reaches it's potential I thought. "Unfaithful" could of been a great film, I looked forward to seeing it for a while, but, the movie escapes itself. It's ideas don't seem to be half as involving as the film wants us to think it is.
I'm really bothed by the fact that a movie about a woman having an affair on her husband with a younger man doesn't explain itself as to why she does it. I wasn't satisfied with it's...."well, she just acted on an impuse." answer. I wanted something more. A missed oppertunity. ** 1\2 out of *****
Bottom-line: A Nicely done film with good acting, but, never hits the high levels it sets for itself. Lyne knows how to create an erotic scene, but, I wanted more of an indepth story line. Looks nice, but feels long.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Sexy , Dramatic , and disapointing!
Review: 2 1/2 stars This film could have been one of the years best but it just didnt all fit let me explane why...... The movie starts out with the nice family from the burbs on this very windy day Diane Lane goes to the city to buy a present for her little boy and the she gets knocked down from the wind and just happens to meet this guy she also happens to cut her leg and the guy offers to bring her a band-aid any one you can tell she finds the guy attractive but she leaves as soon as she gets her leg fixed up with in the next 20 mins of the movie she has an affair with this young guy and is trying to keep it from her husband after a while the husband Richard gere figures out some thing is wrong and things move from there but I dont wanna give away the film but what I dont understand is why she has to have an affair to begin with i mean she seems happy and she looks happy with her husband and they give a reason why she goes for another guy I didnt think it was good enough. any way the film has some high points but never really goes any where you would like it to go so ill have to say im giving this movie a thumbs down.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: For a seemingly racy film, this movie is about "family"...
Review: It's actually quite good. I don't know if my opinion is clouded by the sex scenes, maybe dulled is the right word. But, hey, you can never get enough good, classy erotica. Diane Lane gives a stunning performance as the wife of Richard Gere. So strenuous were the sex scenes, that she herniated a disc on her back during filming. Now that's dedication to the job.

Let's get back to the movie. I don't think this film is as suspenseful as Fatal Attraction. But to me, it does delve more into the dynamics of family life and what it means to be faithful and committed to the family. I found it interesting.

The plot is fairly simple and straightforward, so I won't go into it. Now to the question of whether you should watch it or not. I think if a married couple is open about their relationship and would enjoy a good discussion afterwards, then this film is a good choice. Single people will tend to focus more on the passion captured by the film, which is in itself a good enough reason to watch it. So there you have it, watch it.

LEAP rating (each out of 5):
============================
L (Language) - 4 (well written and moves along fine)
E (Erotica) - 4.5 (done in good taste, nothing vulgar or too raw)
A (Action) - 4 (this counts towards the sex scenes)
P (Plot) - 4 (it doesn't end the way you expect it to end)

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: UNCONVINCING
Review: This movie was advertised as being very sexual. It wasn't. There is no chemistry between Richard Gere and Diane Lane. And there's no chemistry between Lane and Olivier Martinez. The story is not good; and the previews give everything away...except the pitiful ending.
Spend your [money] on something else.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Unexpected Outcome
Review: I have to say that after beginning to watch the movie, I thought that this movie was going to be a total "chick flick", boring and the same old thing. Quite the contrary. What happens is quite unexpected and shocking. I thought of the movie all of the next day. It makes a big impact on the emotions. Excellent.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Un-fullfilling more than anything....
Review: It's been a while since a movie has been such a let down on the big screen. Not only did this movie miss after much hype regarding the so called "steamy" love scenes between Diane Lane and Olivier Martinez, but instead fell short of anything sexy but truthfully belittled an already boring storyline by trying too hard to be just that.

Diane Lane, let's face it, still gorgeous as ever and we could only wish to look that good at her age, gives a decent "out of bedroom" performance but is negatively countered by the bland dialogue deliverance and performace of Richard Gere as the jealous husband trying to understand how the affair could be the result of his neglect. Maybe his non-dimensional character could have been a result of direction or his own wayward interpretation of the character but nonetheless, we ALL know the affair was not planned but JUST happened. However, when his anger gets the best of him and we comprehend his enormous mistake it immediately becomes overwhelmingly paled by the stupidity of his following actions and fails to add to the weak script while it meandors to an ending that completely could have been better but did everything to fall flat.

As one character pointed out, affairs always end badly and/or tragically. The now disfuntional married couple of Richard Gere and Diane Lane try pitifully to survive and overcome a MAJOR stumbling block and get back to their previous nuptial bliss but the whole boring mess DID end badly and tragically by wasting time and money and if you are wise with yours but feel you MUST see it, it is a definite RENTAL.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Unfaithful is Believable
Review: Diane Lane is fabulous. Only a woman who has had to make that split second decision to be faithful or not could possibly understand her dilemma. And once the wheels have been set in motion it is usually too late to go back. The scene where she wishes she had chosen the other path is heartbreaking and a wonderful moment in the film because by then their lives are forever changed and you find yourself wishing she had taken the other path. The movie belongs to Diane and Olivier. Richard Gere's character (not he) was too stiff and not a prominent role. Only the ending was dissappointing as if the director didn't know how to end it. Definitely worth seeing on a big screen. It makes you think twice about life's choices and the effects they have down the line. Don't miss it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Diane Lane is EXCEPTIONAL
Review: After seeing this movie, I became even more of a Diane Lane fan! She gives an exceptional performance. So believable, yet so sympathetic. The emotions she displays in this movie make you believe that Diane/Connie is actually going through these extremely hard times. Diane lights up the screen in this and all of her movies. A truly underrated actress, yet the best there has ever been. She deserves recognition and an Oscar!


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