Unfaithful (2002): Dir: Adrian Lyne / Cast: Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Oliver Martinez, Erik Per Sullivan, Michelle Monaghan: Painful yet well crafted film regarding unfaithfulness. Richard Gere and Diane Lane play a married couple whose marriage is threatened when she has an affair with a bookseller played by Oliver Martinez. Predictable and dark especially when murder factors. Even a visit from the police seems recycled and obvious. Adrian Lyne's films often address sexual consequence but the sex scenes seem more as a peep show. Better examples of his work are Indecent Proposal and 9 ½ Weeks but this is not one of his better films thanks to its emphasis on being a peep show. In the first the sexual tension is high but not shown. In the second it is displayed in multiple variety to back its subject matter. Here it just seems like an excuse to place two actors in hot sexual action. Gere and Lane deliver on frustration and guilt despite being props for a dim cliffhanger. Martinez is charming and seductive and ultimately too abrupt. Other roles play for convenience over purpose. As with most Lyne films, this one is well made in terms of locations and lighting but its message might have worked more effectively had the affair been less of a peep show and more about motives and consequence. As a result it is more about steamy sex than the consequences of infidelity. Score: 5 ½ / 10
Review of Unfaithful
