Category Archives: Marital Infidelity

2012, Classical musicians, Drama, Marital Infidelity, Orchestral Music, Parkinson's disease, Sex Scenes, Wonderful acting

A Late Quartet (2012)

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From NetFlix:

Tempers flare, old jealousies reignite and new passions are sparked when the members of a world-renowned string quartet are preparing to celebrate their 25th anniversary and learn that their leader must step down due to a grim medical diagnosis.

Do not confuse this film with another 2012 film entitled “Quartet” which features Maggie Smith and others.

Beethoven’s Opus 131 String Quartet belongs to the set of 6 string quartets known as his “late quarrtets”. Thus the name of this film. Moreover the film centers around the professional quartet with the name “The Fugue” getting ready to perform Beethoven’s Opus 131. For the first movement of his Opus 131 (consisting of 7 connected movements with no break between movements) Beethoven wrote a fugue which is a polyphonic (many voiced) musical form heavily used by the composer Bach. Thus the name of the professional quartet.

Christopher Walken, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Catherine Keener are familiar actors to us all. However the first violinist Daniel Lerner was played by Mark Ivanir who was for me a new face. His first major role was in Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List”.

Clash of personalities is indeed the force behind the story. But of equal importance is the fact that the cellist (Christopher Walken) starts to suffer from Parkinson’s disease. Needless to say he cannot continue to play cello with the quartet. So amidst the other players’ fighting he struggles to keep the quartet alive.

Acting is wonderful in this drama. You will probably enjoy this film more if you are a fan of classical music (or even better a fan of Beethoven’s “Late Quartets”). Throughout, the background music is classical and appropriate.

Hopefully many of you will enjoy this well-done film.

2012, Clever Plot, Conspiracy, Crime, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Gay theme, Lawyers, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Murder Investigation, Plot Twist, Political Suspense, Religious Theme, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Suspense, TV Series, Wonderful acting

Scandal (2012)

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From NetFlix:

Olivia Pope leads a team of Washington, D.C., lawyers who specialize in making scandals disappear. As they secretly handle crises at the highest levels of government, the dysfunctional team must also cope with problems closer to home.

Another TV series that can be streamed with NetFlix, “Scandal” is a fast-paced, well-written, well-acted page-turner that reminds me of the excellent House of Cards but in my opinion is better. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright carried “House of Cards” just as Tony Goldwyn (President Fitz Grant) and Kerry Washington (Olivia Pope) carry “Scandal”. Both series involve the politics in Washington D.C.

Season one is a series of episodes all related to one another. In addition to individual clients there is an ongoing story line involving Olivia Pope and President Fitz Grant. Along the way there are many plot twists that keep the story fresh and insistent. As you finish one episode you will be sorely tempted to immediately watch the next episode.

Emphasis throughout is on the interaction of personalities rather than details such as police procedurals. In fact, the acting is good and there are some very tender moments between people who love each other.

Season one ends satisfactorily with justice meted out to almost all the bad guys, but the ending also is a cliff hanger just crying for season two.

If you enjoyed “House of Cards” you will like “Scandal” even more. DO NOT MISS!

2012, Clever Plot, Complicated, Crime, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Finance, Lawyers, Marital Infidelity, Plot Twist, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Wonderful acting

Arbitrage (2012)

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From NetFlix:

As billionaire Robert Miller struggles to divest his empire before his fraud is brought to light, fate takes a nasty turn. Now desperate and running out of options, Miller turns to an unlikely source for help.

Richard Gere plays Robert Miller who has to be the coolest crook on the planet.

Call this well-written, well-acted film a suspense drama because throughout you will sitting on the edge of your seat wondering two things: Will our crooked hero get caught in his fraud and manslaughter and what lives will he ruin as he spins his web of deceit?

Pay attention as one development leads to another. Keep in mind what Miller espouses as his twisted philosophy: “The world is cold”.

Any hint of the ending would be a spoiler. But Susan Sarandon, who plays Miller’s wife, really comes through.

DON’T MISS THIS FINANCIAL THRILLER!

2003, Basically Sad, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Prison, Quiet, Redemption, Talking Heads, Unusual

The United States of Leland (2003)

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From NetFlix:

Teenager Leland Fitzgerald appears to have everything going for him, including a famous writer father. So, what drove him to kill? It’s up to a teacher who works with inmates to unearth the anger and fear lurking beneath Leland’s unruffled surface.

Sadness and a questioning sense of despair pervades this quiet gem of a film. Every character has done something regrettable or been hurt, betrayed, or murdered by someone close to them. “Are we all evil or is there real goodness in at least some people ?” is the repeated theme in the film. Most of the film is “talking heads” as opposed to any action. You never actually see violence.

Perhaps I am prejudiced but I think of Ryan Gosling as an actor’s actor. Look him up in IMDB to see his amazing resumé. During the filming Ryan, who plays Leland Fitzgerald, was 23 years old, but seemed somehow much younger. Despite his young age, that spark of originality that sets him apart was still apparent.

Don Cheadle plays Pearl Madison who evolves during the plot from a exploitive wannabe writer to a repentant, caring, wiser person.

Kevin Spacey plays the writer Albert T. Fitzgerald who is Leland’s emotionally absent father. He is perfect as a smug, sarcastic, egocentric bastard who completely ignores his son.

Despite the pervasive sadness and sense of loneliness, you can always appreciate a quiet gem.

DO NOT MISS!

1993, British Mystery Series, Detective, Explicit sexual discussion, Gritty, Marital Infidelity, Murder Investigation, Psychological Thriller, Serial Killer, Suspense, Violent

Cracker (1993)

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From NetFlix:

Eddie “Fitz” Fitzgerald smokes, drinks, gambles and cheats on his wife. He’s also a brilliant criminal psychologist, or “cracker.” When not evading his personal demons, he uses his particular genius to track down Manchester’s worst criminals.

Be prepared to intensely dislike the “cracker” Eddie Fitzgerald. Arrogant stubbornness is his chief characteristic. For example, despite the fact that gambling is one of his many faults which have contributed to his marriage problems, he defiantly refuses to stop gambling. At least half the story time revolves around his personal failings. What on earth does his wife see in him? Possibly she values his often very clever sarcastic comments.

Nonetheless, the mystery plots are well-written. Each full story requires several episodes. Kathy and I watch the series using NetFlix streaming in order to get subtitles. Unfortunately, the DVD versions do not carry subtitles. In fact, many offerings from NetFlix are subtitled only in the streaming version.

Not all stories are about serial killers. Today’s detective series seem more often than not to center around a serial killer. However, as usual, the stories are violent. If you want “non-violent” then try Pie in the Sky.

Acting is excellent and unusual. For example, the second full story has as its culprit a murderous couple in which the man is a stutterer who can only speak when he is furious (which is most of the time).

Different and well worth your time.

2010, Feel Good Not For Children, Imperfect, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Mediocre, Quiet, Sex Scenes, Slow

Last Night (2010)

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From NetFlix:

During an evening apart, married couple Joanna and Michael encounter tempting opportunities to cheat on each other: Michael spends time on a business trip with his sexy colleague, Laura, while Joanna crosses paths with a former flame, Alex.

Imagine a film in the 21st century about marital fidelity! In fact, it was a pleasure watching the subject being taken seriously. Unfortunately the writing at times was either stilted or just plain amateurish.

Keira Knightley is beautiful (and possible anorexic) and reminds me of young Audrey Hepburn. Her smile sometimes seems to me somewhat less than genuine.

Sam Worthington projected an air of uncertainty that I found realistic and appealing. In addition his remorse towards the end of the film was well-done. He keeps his Australian accent during the film.

Alex is played by Guillaume Canet, a French heart-throb.

How realistic the scenes between Knightley and Canet were (they spend the night sleeping together fully clothed) I cannot say.

Although I give the film a “B+”, it was an adult feel-good, something increasingly rare these days.