UNFAITHFUL

UNFAITHFUL is a powerful story of sexual and emotional betrayal in a marriage that graphically and often shockingly depicts the terrible damage such betrayal brings. Ed (Richard Gere), a successful, handsome and loving husband and father, obviously cherishes his wife, Connie (Diane Lane), who is often ironically called her full name, Constance, as she quickly becomes anything but a constant in the family. Ed and Connie have a precocious young son, Charlie, and a beautiful home in the suburbs outside New York City.

UNFAITHFUL begins with a cozy, family scene, but also with a tense, dangerous undercurrent, brilliantly depicted by a bitter wind and the damage it causes outside of their home and in the city nearby. As things are toppled and torn by the wind, there is a sense of great foreboding that this happy family will soon be toppled, too.

Ed leaves for work, Charlie for school, and Connie goes into the city to buy decorations for Charlie’s upcoming ninth birthday party. The wind continues to rage through the city and Connie is literally blown down in the street and on top of a book dealer (Oliver Martinez) who is hurrying home. They struggle to get up and gather their things, but realize that Connie’s knees are bleeding. The young book dealer, Paul, invites Connie upstairs to his apartment to clean her wounds. Connie is at first reluctant, but concedes and begins a clandestine relationship with Paul that begins to destroy everyone she holds dear.

UNFAITHFUL is artistically very good. The images of a cold, damaging wind, juxtaposed shots of family innocence and betrayal, characters vigorously washing themselves after crimes and passion to rid themselves of the stain of sin, decorations blown apart and scattered like a ruined party, all underscore the serious and dangerous themes in UNFAITHFUL.

The characters are complex and terrifically performed. Connie struggles with the immoral choices she makes, but buys into the prattle her lover offers her. “There is no such thing as a mistake, “ he tells her; “only what you do and what you don’t do.” He gives her poetry that advises, “drink wine, this is life eternal . . . be happy for this moment; this moment is your life.” Connie gives into this empty philosophy and the excitement without noticing that Paul cares little for her beyond the sexual pleasure she provides him. She becomes physically and emotionally addicted to him, sneaking off to meet with him constantly, and her marriage and friendships begin to crumble because of the deception she embraces. Connie changes from an assured, loving wife to a nervous, careless, out of control woman.

Gere is a devoted husband whose confidence in his wife and her affection for him begins to unravel bit by bit as she sinks deeper and deeper into her other life. Lies are told, inconsistencies turn up, and Gere is transformed from confusion, to hurt, to distrust, to revenge. Much of Gere’s transformation is nonverbal, as is much of the communication between Connie and Ed, and is masterfully acted.

UNFAITHFUL could have been an important movie about fidelity and the dangerous consequences of betrayal, but the inclusion of so many graphic and titillating sex scenes send a mixed message to the audience. The sex isn’t necessary to see – the audience understands Connie is having an affair and understands the physical and emotional consequences this will have on her relationship with Ed. If the movie had focused more on that damage, and less on the perverse and repetitive sex, it would have been more consistent and serious. Instead, the movie takes on a seedy peep-show quality.

Another big problem with UNFAITHFUL is that the loss of one character’s life is viewed as a problem only because, if the killer is caught, the consequences will be unpleasant. Little regard is shown for the seriousness of the crime and the life that was lost. In fact, the killer is curiously detached from the crime itself and completely absorbed in the cover up.

The ending of UNFAITHFUL was changed slightly after initial screenings to make a moral choice seem more ambiguous. This ending, while a good discussion generator, could contribute to the notion that perhaps it is possible to cover up our sins and move on as though it never happened. UNFAITHFUL leaves no doubt, however, that the consequences of infidelity damage all in their path. As a friend of Connie’s warned her, “It always ends disastrously. It is the one thing in my life I would undo . . . if I could.”