Selected Film Discussion Followup: Unfaithful

[modest mouse]

For those who decided to take part in this little adventure, here we go. I only finished it a mere few moments ago so I'll let it sit a bit before commenting.

Anyone who has seent he film in the last week is welcome to participate. I thank those who replied to my initial thread and helped decide the film.

 

[amelia]

I watched the film yesterday. I found it HO-HUM but with some very sexy scenes. I also felt that the director tried to be a little to artsy with some of the angles, like he was trying to make it a more important movie than it was. I thought the acting was ok, but he little kid was horrible.

It was worth viewing just to hear Diane Lane say she wanted to be fucked. And i'd recommend it to any girl that doesn't have cable and is to shy to rent porn.

 

[modest mouse]

Diane Lane asking to be fucked was worth my time alone. Damn she is hot.

The little kid annoyed the heck out of me at first but then I gave it soem thought. he is the only child of wealthy parents in the NYC suburbs. he would be bratty, spoiled, and often toned out by his parents. Once I used that perspective I appreciated having the little bastard there.

***

As this will hopefully be a discussion I dont feel teh need to post my overall take on it but rather whatever comes to mind.

The score caught me a few times. Lyne chose to use piano frequently sometimes with strings augmenting it or on their own. What was noteworthy was the moments when no music or even background sound was present. The initial scenes of Lane and martinez before they actually fuck were enhanced by this silence.

The lack of vivid colors and use of an almost soft-focus helped establish suburban blah in the opening. That premise never settled totally with me though.

 

[Killswitch]

Interestingly enough, I also watched this movie yesterday.
I called Diane Lane a slut at the beginning, and my wife objected, and as the movie progressed I asked...is she a slut yet?....then the scene where the kid was waiting at school, and she was laying on the stud prompted another..."Is she a slut now?"

She was and is a slut, in the movie.

I also knew that Geres character was going to turn himself in.....which is what I believe the ending was all about. Pussy.

I dug the scene when he crunched "Dick Boy" on the head twice with the snow globe.....I thought that scene was awsome.......he just died standing.

I did like and was semi turned on by the sex scenes, especially the bathroom/coffee shop scene, and the scene in the hallway in front of his loft.

 

[amelia]

i know what you mean about the music or lack of music. i especially enjoyed the music for the scene where the gere character was playing the piano with the son. there was just something about it.

maybe i need to watch the movie again.

you're right though, the movie never really grabbed me either.

 

[paganangel]

saw it last week. hope that's ok. it exemlifies everything i hate about women. oh, and i LOVED that richard gere said it was her he wanted to kill. i thought that made the movie. after that i was nodding off again. that's why i was confused about whether or not he was going to turn himself in. thanx 4 clearing it up.

 

[aly*]

I suck

The dog ate my VCR. . .

I did go to the normal video store the other day, but i had a fine and not enough money. Hopefully, it will be cool to join in tomorrow? Sorry!

 

[modest mouse]

amelia,

There isnt much to grab you within the film. There isnt nearly the depth in the characters that I expected.

perhaps these are people who have become cold to life, adhering to structure to validate them for so long.

The train ride home for Lane where she was looking back at the sex with both enjoyment and looming regret worked for me. The train an obvious symbol of a bridge between the two worlds she is dancing with. But even this is overdone to force the point rather than letting us watch her.

What hindered my true involvment was that no character merited sympathy. lane is fucking the guy, but she lets it go on and on for what i think to be two months or so. It takes her too long to grapple with the ramifications.

martinez is a louse. The scene where he reads her the passage from the book he sends her to retrieve... not romantic, but the owrk of a facade-loving ladies man. Lyne did a perfect job of laughing at him with this scene. And it shows how much lane is willing to be pushed along.

Gere was garnering more sympathy than usual up until he killed the guy.

***

paganangel, You have issues with women.

 

[modest mouse]

aly*,

If you have a chance to see it I would love to have your input. perhaps you want to avoid reading the thread until you have seen it.

 

[miles]

Diane Lane was sexy as hell. Beyond that there was zero character development. The movie lost me when Gere visited the guy's apartment. I thought the weapon of choice was dumb. I turned it off after he wasted boyfriend.

 

[It'sasecret]

Did we all watch this movie in the past few days? I too, just rented it. I also did not hate the women until her son was left at school! When I saw that scene I shouted "whore". My husband thought it was funny that it did not really hit me until then.

 

[april-wine]

I watched it about two weeks ago....

The scene that sticks out most in mind was the first time they had sex....The emotion guilt, passion, fear, lust....Diane Lane was awsome in her portrayal there....Then the rest of the movie kinda got bogged down in morality....I usually rate a movie on rewatchability.....This is one time only flick.....

 

[miles]

I watched it about two weeks ago....

The scene that sticks out most in mind was the first time they had sex....The emotion guilt, passion, fear, lust....Diane Lane was awsome in her portrayal there....Then the rest of the movie kinda got bogged down in morality....I usually rate a movie on rewatchability.....This is one time only flick.....

Rewatchability - I like that. I didn't make it all the way through.

 

[paganangel]

mm, thankyou captain obvious.


as far as character developement...if it isn't done perfectly i'd rather see it like this. it's only necessarry for dynamic characters anyway, and then there only has to be one...and here there wasn't...not really. the first time i ever actually liked gere.


i disagree that these people were

are people who have become cold to life, adhering to structure to validate them for so long.

rather, i think they were simply meant to be archetypes. easily identifiable. we know all we need to know about them in the first few minutes.
again, i disagree on the no sympsathy thing. how could one not sympathise with gere? or the kid? lane? fair enough...but were we supposed to?

 

[modest mouse]

miles,

The snowglobe as murder weapon amused me. The bit about him not feeling well confused me. Is he totally setting up the killer bonk or is he as sick as he portrays.

***

april-wine,

its rewatchable for Diane lanes nudity. DVD pause and zoom is magical. But yeah, it doesnt have anything to offer upon fewer viewings.

***

Itsasecret, But didnt you feel like the scene with her son was looming?

The only well done part here is the hand flip by the nanny. Obviously she is sick of being around Lane.

***

paganangel,

Good point, actually, about archetypes. You may be on to something there. But with the long drawn out ending i suspect we were supposed to feel for the characters more than we did.

I do think we are supposed to have some compassion for Lane. Not like her or condone her lying/cheating but at least see her as someone who is struggling. While her performance was solid within the script there was a great deal missing.

The scene in which she gets all pissed after finding martinez with another woman left me liking her much less.

 

[lavender]

I apparently had a very different take on this film. I just finished watching it.

I felt the movie dealt with the issue of infedelity almost more true to form than any movie I have seen in quite some time.

Where I disagree greatly is with the character development and the lack of sympathy for a character. In my mind, this was not a blah marriage. This was not an instance of a marriage gone wrong. People search for everything and want everything from life and a partner. The simple fact of life that human desire is insatiable. We are selfish creatures. At many times we also want immediacy in our lives. It's the idea of instant gratification and self-gratification that is inherent in many extramarital affairs.

Lane's and Gere's characters had a very happy marriage. They didn't have financial worries. They had a beautiful son whom they both loved. From the opening scenes of the movie you could feel the connection they shared. You realized that these were two people who knew each other and shared comfort in sharing day to day life together. There was true joy and happiness in their smiles and in their ability to experience the mundane aspects of life together. I think the director tried to convey that in the opening scenes. I felt that the director was trying to deal with a marriage that was full and complete to demonstrate infidelity where no one but the person being unfaithful was to blame - although blame is a bad word.

Lane's character met a man who was younger, who was good looking, who was mysterious, who was daring and who allowed her spontaneity that is missing many times from the life of a married woman with children. It represented an aspect of her life that she felt she was missing. However, in my mind, it also represented a woman having her cake and eating it to. When a woman or man chooses to engage in a commitment - whether that involves marriage or not - with another person, they do give up some things. When a woman or man chooses to have a family they give up many things. But, the rewards supposedly outweigh what you give up. Yes, you look back on certain aspects of your life with a bit of nostalgia but you realize that there are reasons you gave up this freedom.

Lane's character was acting selfishly. You can understand much of this in the scene between the 3 women having coffee. One woman said that she would have fucked the guy. He was hot, he was younger, a little treat for herself and no one would have to know. Isn't that the justification for most infedility? I have cheated before - this reasoning and the thoughts of Lane are crystal clear. But, it does not justify the behavior at all. Yes, Lane was claiming something for herself - but at that point she was putting other things on the line. She placed her family, her marriage, her own personal sense of loyalty, faithfulness, and her ability to stick to her own honor, self-dignity etc.

I think the idea of dignity was very important in this movie. She lost her dignity - and you could see this. She succumbed to desire and lost control. This was instrumental in the film. It also made us realize how she had truly allowed her base animalistic instincts come to surface.

It was necessary that they show the conflict she went through. If there was no conflict, she wouldn't have been human. You couldn't have sympathized with her at all. But, you did. You realized she struggled - but even though she struggled I do not believe her character was compelling.

I think Gere's character was compelling. He broke because of the globe. He went to talk to the guy, he went searching for answers. He wanted something that he could never have - understanding. He didn't go to the apartment with the intention of killing anyone. When he saw the globe, when he saw that she had given him something that he had given her - that we find out later had something amazingly significant within it - you see the cracking point. If this had been tried in a court of law these would be mitigating circumstances - a crime of passion. That's exactly what it was. There was no premeditation, there was no intent to kill prior to that instant. I don't think he wanted to kill him - as he says later in that instant he didn't want to kill HIM he wanted to kill HER. Gere was a victim of circumstance. He was also a victim of pride. He, like Lane, also succumbed to instant gratification and momentary passion instead of logic. But issues relating to family and our choice of partner in life make many irrational even in the moment.

I hope Gere turned himself in, but who knows.

I have more to say on the movie - much more. I didn't find it to be a particularly good film as far as films go. But, I think the way it addressed the subject matter was compelling and humanized in a way.

As a single person, I think one of your worst fears getting involved in a long term commitment, a lifetime committment, is that one day that commitment will be broken - if only for a moment. Something that requires consideration.

 

[k_girl23]

I just watched the movie a few days ago. It wasn't the best movie I have ever seen however it did have some pretty sexy scenes that turned me on.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Weird, I just rented this tonight too.

I thought it was alright. Lane was definitely hot and slutty. The first sex scene was almost like rape until she hit him and really got into it.

I saw that they were sitting in front of a police station, but I don't think he turned himself in, why talk about mexico if he was going to do that? I think it was just irony.

I like the way that he knew from the PI, then she found out that he knew, it was interesting and there was suspense, for me at least.

In any case, a good renter just for the sex scenes and to hear her say that fuck me line.

 

[red_rose]

I was going to post last night, but decided to get a bit of sleep first. lol

I liked the use of sound/lack of sound and color that mouse mentioned. What I also found very interesting were the cuts on her knees. The way the first third or so of the movie is played out, you could think that the relationship developed over weeks or even months - there is nothing to really show you a time frame except for the fact that the cuts on her knees were still quite new.

I agree with Lavy - this film dealt with the issue of infidelity with more honesty than I have ever seen before.

As for the little kid... Heh. Anyone else watch Malcolm in the Middle? Everytime I saw his face, all I could think of was "Dewey!" lol I think they should have picked a kid who either hasn't been in the spotlight as much... or tried a kid who isn't known for being a looney bird. lol Seeing him try to play a "normal" kid was just odd for me.

MM - I do believe that Gere's character was actually ill before he killed "boy toy". The director even went so far as to show his POV - blurry vision, etc - to let us know how unstable he became at that moment.

I think it's interesting that this film has the lover and the husband meet so calmly, at first. I'm sure we were all waiting to see how Gere's character would react. Could he stay calm? How could he seem so collected? And then he snaps.

I liked pretty much everything about this movie except for the ending. I don't think that a family that is so broken could ever be whole again - and that is what they seem to leave us thinking. We're supposed to believe that Lane and Gere are going to work on this together. If I were in his position, I would only stay with her to keep her from running to the cops. lol

Okay... I'm not fully awake so if any of this comes off half-assed... oh well. LOL

I might watch it again at some point, but I wouldn't seek it out.

 

[mickey522]

Unfaithful

I don't post on this board much, but I just watched Unfaithful last night so I wanted to get in on this....hope you don't mind. First, let me say that I watched this with my husband, and we were just married on November 9th. It made me sad and depressed.

More importantly, I have a question... Did any of you see the Richard Gere movie called CrissCross? It also starred Lolita Davidovitch as his girlfriend and Sharon Stone as his wife. I haven't checked yet, but this MUST have been the same writer or director or something, because this movie was full of the symbolism and darkness and same kind of music as Unfaithful.

My two cents anyway.

 

[Guest]

Fuck you can take piss. LOL

Sound/no-sound is never been done better than in God Father where Michael is about to become a killer.

I've never been a fan of Lane, but I'll do her.

Lavy, shut the fuck up.

CrissCross was crap.

Malcom in the middle. YAY!

The rest of you, bugger off.

 

[Problem Child]

The anti-lavender post:

It was too slow.

Richard Gere can't act. Never could. He's used the same "sucking air through my teeth and pursing my lips to denote anger" thing since Officer and a gentlemen.

The movie did a good job of getting me to hate Diane Lane, or perhaps Diane Lane did that. Kudos Diane, and nice tummy too.

Excellent use of copious bood in the head-bashing scene.

6.5/10

 

[lavender]

PC,

I totally agree with you that Gere can't act. I dislike Gere as an actor immensely. The fact that he was cast in Chicago is so disappointing to me.

 

[Problem Child]

PC,

I totally agree with you that Gere can't act. I dislike Gere as an actor immensely. The fact that he was cast in Chicago is so disappointing to me.

On another note, I saw Love and a .45 the pther night, and realized that the girlfriend is Renee Zellwegger! Didn't catch that first time around.

I might just go see Chicago just for her. I wonder if they have a version with all the Richard Gere parts edited out...

 

[Rambling Rose]

Umm...is it too late for:

SPOILER ALERT - DO NOT OPEN THREAD UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN THIS FILM!