Unfaithful
Don’t read this or any other review until you’ve seen the movie.
I came so close to reading other reviews before watching this but in the end was either wise or just fortunate to avoid them. This movie has a slow build – my only criticism would be too slow – but it’s paid off in full and beyond in the last half hour. I remember being totally baffled when Diane Lane got her Oscar nomination for this 4 years ago, but it truly was deserved, she does so much with her face in this movie, you can practically read her mind in places. Richard Gere deserves mention, too; though most of his dues come after … the thing I won’t mention. There’s a scene towards the end where Gere and Lane’s characters are both finally in possession of all the facts, they’re in a darkened room, and his back is to her, his whole figure in silhouette, hunched a little, just one of many scenes in this movie that just wrenched my heart out. I don’t know if it’ll have the same impact on a second viewing, but for now, consider me more than a little shaken up.
May 15th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
[...] Yes, the ending is far-fetched (and yes, I guess here too Parker’s usual flair can’t help sneaking in) – but that final shot of Finney, surrounded by his daughters, reaching out for Keaton, it’s just so powerful. It’s funny how well this movie goes with Unfaithful, which I watched the other day. Both deal with disloyalty, with heavy focus on how it affects those outside the relationship; and both end in surprising violence and even more surprising resolve, in addition to being driven by real, powerful performances. It might be too much to actually double bill them, you’d be exhausted after; but they go well together, that’s all I’m saying. [...]