Separate Lies

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B-     Extras: C+     Film: C+

 

 

A couple whose happiness is too good to be true turns out to be just that in Julian Fellowes’ Separate Lies, a 2005 British drama about how the woman (Emily Watson) cheats on her husband (Tom Wilkinson) with another man (Rupert Everett) with the usual, predictable results.  Though it is well acted, well directed and even written with maturity by the director, it just cannot escape predictability and convention.

 

At only 86 minutes, it never takes the time to explore the situation completely, including the issues of British society that would make such a story different than if it were in set in the U.S. or Canada.  Unlike a British TV movie, this had the chance to break through and did not.  I believed the actors and their work, but not the story enough, including Everett’s character being that appealing and the ending that further misses any opportunity to dig deeper.  Though the film never becomes a melodrama, it just misses the mark and keeps Watson’s record going of feature films I did not care for.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image is not bad, but has some softness and color throughout that is just too plain, with the great cinematographer Tony Pierce-Roberts, B.S.C., saving the film somewhat with solid visuals that help the narrative throughout.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is recent and dialogue-based, but pretty good and Stanislas Syrewicz’s score is a plus.  Extras include a terrible full screen version, commentary track by Fellows that proves he was being ambitious and the original theatrical trailer.  Fellows definitely has the grasp of the situation, but just does not get it all on the screen.  Can’t wait to see more of his work.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo