“Unfaithful” Directed by Adrian Lyne
Starring: Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Olivier Martinez, Erik Per
Sullivan
When what a person wants becomes what they shouldn’t have,
only the worst of times can be in store. This is the theme of
“Unfaithful,” a psychological drama directed by Adrian
Lyne. Richard Gere and Diane Lane star as Edward and Connie Sumner,
a well-to-do suburbanite couple who seem to live perfect lives. In
their two-story lakeside home with sprawling lawns they live with
their adorable son named Charlie (Erik Per Sullivan) and their
equally adorable dog. But eventually the Norman Rockwellian home
life becomes less than satisfying for Connie. On an extremely windy
day in New York City’s SoHo district, Connie careens into
Paul Martel (Olivier Martinez), a French bookseller who exudes sex
appeal with little, if any, effort. Badly scraping her knees,
Connie accepts Paul’s invitation to clean up her wounds in
his apartment. Unfortunately for the Sumner family, what should be
nothing more than an innocent once-in-a-lifetime meeting develops
into a lusty affair between Connie and Paul. As the suspicious
Edward, Gere turns in a solid performance whose strength lies in
its subtlety. Although usually pensive, Gere expresses
Edward’s deep psychological denial when he remains calm in
what should be the most tense scene of the film. And when the time
calls for an explosive reaction, Gere switches gears with timely
flair. Still, his questioning husband is not as compelling as
Lane’s philandering wife. In the scene following Connie and
Paul’s initial sex romp, the thoughts running through
Connie’s head are as torn as the expressions on her face. A
smile turns into a wince which becomes a laugh that ends with
tears. Lane is simply stunning amidst Connie’s emotional
breakdown. The same praise cannot be said for newcomer Olivier
Martinez however. Cast to play a sultry young diversion for a house
wife, Martinez acts the part well. But beyond that, his presence is
nothing more than yummy eye candy. Overall,
“Unfaithful” is a worthwhile film that covers both
sides of an affair. No matter how happy one may seem, there are no
winners and only victims. “Unfaithful” is a realistic
depiction that proves that the only way such trysts can end is in
disaster.