Tags
2000's, Adrian Lyne, Diane Lane, Drama, Erotic Thriller, Olivier Martinez, Richard Gere, Thriller, Unfaithful
Film Title
Unfaithful
Director
Adrian Lyne
Starring
- Diane Lane as Connie Sumner
- Richard Gere as Edward Sumner
- Olivier Martinez as Paul Martel
Executed with style and erotic frisson from director Adrian Lyne, Unfaithful examines the price of a chance encounter between two people and the subsequently dangerous affair that begins.
Connie Sumner appears to have it all: a beautiful house in a New York suburb, Edward, her loving husband and her excitable young son Charlie. While her marriage seems to be stable and all she could ask for, you can’t help but get the feeling that something is missing from it. One day Connie is picking up supplies for her son’s birthday party in downtown SoHo, when a fierce wind blows in. She is literally thrust into the arms of Paul Martel, a handsome, French book seller. He offers to help her clean up her grazed knee and begins to flirt with her. She initially dismisses this and returns home. Yet somehow this chance meeting with a dashing stranger has deeply left a mark upon her. Although she knows what she is about to do is wrong, Connie throws caution to the wind and returns to see Paul, culminating in a passionate love affair. As the relationship grows bolder and Connie becomes consumed by her obsessive desire for the virile Paul, Edward begins to suspect something is wrong. He hires a private detective to watch his wife’s actions to see if she is playing away. Let’s just say that events become complicated and tragic when passion, jealousy and rage meet head-on.
Director Adrian Lyne is the perfect choice to direct Unfaithful as he has dissected adultery and infidelity in many of his films. He gives Unfaithful a stormy and moody visual style as well as a burning amount of animal passion. The camerawork is marvellous in conveying a sense of foreboding such as the sensual windstorm that sweeps Connie into the path of Paul. One can read it as a precursor to the heat that will inevitably drive their affair, but also as a warning for the damage it will cause in the process. And speaking of intense passion, the many love scenes between Connie and Paul are provocative and supremely sexy. With genuine chemistry, sizzling direction and palpable connection, you can practically feel the heat between the characters locked in this love affair. Unfaithful may be billed as an erotic thriller and certain parts of it conform to the genre, but it fares better as a drama about the price of betrayal and obsessive desire. And while some scenes linger on for longer than needed, one can’t deny the steamy and dramatic pulse of the piece. A slow-burning score of clashing passion and serious indecision gives another layer to Unfaithful.
Diane Lane delivers a standout performance in the central role of Connie. We see that Connie is conflicted and passionate at the idea of an affair, but can’t resist the temptation. Rather than make Connie very unsympathetic as a character, Diane Lane brings something else to the part. Coming across as luminous and natural, we may not agree with what Connie is doing but rather we see her wrestle with the scale of what this affair could bring. The crowning moment of this complex performance is Connie on her journey back from sleeping with Paul. A whole collection of emotions flicker across her face: she’s excited, sad, doubtful and slightly elated by the whole thing and Lane makes her feelings so believable and palpable. It truly is a wonderful performance from Diane Lane that gives Unfaithful a whole lot of impact. Richard Gere turns in a quiet performance as Edward, Connie’s husband suspicious of her whereabouts. He is just a mild-mannered man who wants answers and that’s what makes Connie’s betrayal all the more devastating. There is also a rage to Gere’s performance as he begins to feel the betrayal of the women close to him. Olivier Martinez is mainly required to be virile, charming and seductive and he does this with aplomb as he captures Connie’s attention and won’t let go. While the role isn’t much of a stretch in terms of astonishing acting ability, it fits the part well enough.
Sensual and steamy while also being dramatic, Unfaithful is an erotic drama with stylish direction and excellent work from the cast, especially Diane Lane.
beetleypete said:
Excellent review V. Lyne did manage to avoid another ‘Fatal Attraction’, and Lane was indeed great in her role, holding all the strings together. This is an enjoyable steamy tale, with a cast that manages to lift it high above its soap-opera roots. And the wind scene is very well done.
Best wishes, Pete.
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vinnieh said:
I was really impressed with that wind scene, it really had a sense of danger and passion to it.
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movierob said:
great review Vinnie!
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vinnieh said:
Much appreciated Rob.
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poetry and chocolate and books said:
Great review! I watched this movie in college. Long back! There is a bollywood remake of this movie too ‘murder’. 🙂
And hey, I nominated you for First post challenge!
Check here: https://poetryandchocolateandbooks.wordpress.com/2015/06/16/your-first-post-challenge/
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vinnieh said:
Thanks will look into the challenge when I get the time.
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poetry and chocolate and books said:
🙂 Okay.
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Dude the cleaner said:
It was a remake of a french film I preferred the french film from Claude Chabrol The unfaithful wife (1968) I love that one. The one with Richard Gere they change the ending. Nice review.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the information, I was unaware it was a remake.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Nice review Vinnie. 🙂 I remember when this first came out, but I was like “meh”. I may have to rethink that.
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vinnieh said:
Give it another watch Kim, you might look at it differently.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I will Vinnie. Thanks. 😊
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vinnieh said:
Be sure to let me know what you thought of watching it for a second time.
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Mel @ The Creative Fox Den said:
I really liked this movie but it’s so heart wrenching. Poor Richard Gere. But you can’t really hate Diane Lane. Such a good movie where it shows both sides and it doesn’t just villainize the adulterer. Great review!
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vinnieh said:
Thanks, excellent point about it showing both sides of the betrayal.
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theipc said:
Another one I’ve never seen…. great work, Boss : )
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vinnieh said:
Cheers boss, it’s a very sexy movie.
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theipc said:
Sounds like it : )
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vinnieh said:
You better believe it buddy.
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Jay said:
I agree that Lane was the perfect choice here. Few other actresses could give the character such humanity, and we need not to hate her.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks, you hit the nail right on the head. The casting of Lane was perfect for the character.
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Marta said:
Nice one Vinnie! I’ve seen it a long time ago but Olivier Martinez left an impression 😉
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vinnieh said:
I think Martinez left an impression on many viewers.
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Marta said:
😛 yep!
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vinnieh said:
I can see why women would take a liking to him, he is very charming.
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Marta said:
he is! My favorite film with him is The Horseman on the Roof.
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vinnieh said:
I’ll check that film out.
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Marta said:
I think you might like it: interesting plot and a spectacular Juliette Binoche.
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vinnieh said:
Oh I love Juliette Binoche, definitely want to see it now.
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Beth said:
Not only an excellent review, but more good movie suggestions in the comment section! I liked this one too and was a little surprised that Richard Gere took this kind of a role. I read that they chose Diane Lane for the part because she had no reservations at all about doing the steamy scenes. Must watch it again soon.
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vinnieh said:
Diane Lane does such an amazing job in this film. I did read that while she didn’t mind doing the steamy scenes, she found the schedule rigorous.
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emmakwall said:
You’ve been watching and reviewing some erotic stuff recently Mister!
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vinnieh said:
I just noticed that.
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emmakwall said:
You didn’t “just” notice!! 🙂
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vinnieh said:
Ok you got me on that one.
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emmakwall said:
Hahaha! 🙂
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alexraphael said:
Diane Lane was perfect! Gorgeous too, but genuinely outstanding. You feel so conflicted. In the wrong hands this film would have been terrible, but this was really well done. Great review as always dude.
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vinnieh said:
Diane Lane was the perfect choice for the role. She fleshed it out and made the character have so many layers.
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Tom said:
I remember watching this with a friend in high school and remember it being an awkward situation. Not the movie. The movie, from what I remember, is excellent….but more so what was going on at the time! Hah! Thanks for the memories man, and a stellar review as well.
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vinnieh said:
Your thoughts are always welcome here Tom.
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Kim @ Tranquil Dreams said:
Awesome review! This one is due for a rewatch for me.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the comment Kim. Let me know what your thoughts are if you watch it again.
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Kim @ Tranquil Dreams said:
Definitely 🙂
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shazza91321 said:
Yep, this film had me hooked I couldn’t turn my eyes away. One of my favorites by Richard Gere, he’s such a mediocre actor to me. Diane Lane is exquisite in this movie, and if I had to have an affair I would pic Oliver Martinez too.
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vinnieh said:
I think most ladies would choose Olivier Martinez to have an affair with.
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shazza91321 said:
Yes Vinnieh, I think you’re right. Hey I wanted to know how you thought the lady who warned her about having an affair with him was? I thought she was good at conveying how it would hurt her relationship with her husband. I like that actress, even though her part was very small. I thought she did well pushing the story along don’t you think?
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vinnieh said:
She really did push the story along well. I liked how you could see Connie beginning to contemplate whether the affair was getting too impulsive for her.
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shazza91321 said:
Yes, I agree, she seemed like she was trying to heed the words of her friend even though it was already a huge monster in the room by then. That kind of situation gets out of control fast and she was already too far gone. Ok thanks again for letting me revisit this good movie and great acting by all the actors in it.
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vinnieh said:
I was happy to help you remember this movie.
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alittlebirdtweets said:
A superb film and a great review. I love Adrian Lyne’s style as a Director. One of the best.
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vinnieh said:
He really knows how to crank out some great images in his movies and give them a certain eroticism.
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alittlebirdtweets said:
He uses some amazing filming techniques, to make the viewer feel exactly what he wants them to feel.
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Michael said:
You brought back some great memories of this film with your excellent review, thank you. This story, though in less dramatic fashion, plays out everyday in so many lives as many seek to fill passion’s void.
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vinnieh said:
I’m happy to bring memories back. Just one chance encounter is all it takes to be spellbound.
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