Image Courtesy of Amazon.com
Director:
Julian Fellowes
Cast:
Tom Wilkinson……….James Manning
Emily Watson……….Anne Manning
Rupert Everett……….William Bule
Linda Bassett……….Maggie
The Movie
There are some movies that ask of us certain moral and ethical questions. Last year’s Oscar winner, Million Dollar Baby, pondered aloud about the value of life and the quality therein. Other films ask questions about honor and friendship, and in this vein Separate Lies dares to ask the question “What would you do to protect somebody else?”
James (Tom Wilkinson) and Anne (Emily Watson) seem to have the perfect marriage. He’s a high-powered professional, she’s the loving housewife, and they have a wonderful house in the English countryside. When a man turns up dead in their area, the house of cards built on deception that make up their marriage come down when it’s discovered Anne is having an affair with their charming neighbor William (Rupert Everett). When a stunning revelation threatens to bring everything down, they are forced into a cover up that nearly ruins it all.
And coming from the Oscar winning writer of Gosford Park one would think that this would be a well-developed character study about three people and their relationships with one another. But the only thing about this film is that it leaves too much off the table and not enough on it.
As the film progresses, we are left with only a glimpse into the relationship between husband and wife as well their differing perspectives on her affair. Running barely over 80 minutes, there’s a lot missing from the film. While Fellowes’ direction is good and his story-telling is up to the material he’s written, the first two acts of the film breeze by and yet his characters aren’t nearly as fleshed out as they should be.
It is an enjoyable and functional thriller, of course, but it’s missing a lot to make it stand out.
Score : 6 / 10
The Video
Presented in both a widescreen format with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio as well as a full screen format with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio with a flip of the disc, Separate Lies looks great. The colors are clear and English countryside looks wonderful.
The Audio
Presented in a Dolby 5.1 Surround, the film doesn’t miss a beat with the dialogue and subtle score.
The Extras
Commentary by writer/director Julian Fellowes
Theatrical Trailer
Score : 1.5 / 10
