If I Were You

Staid, even-keeled Madelyn gets the shock of her life when she discovers, quite by accident, that her husband of many years is cheating on her with a much younger woman. Then, through a series of complicated events, she winds up as the confidante and adviser to her husband's mistress who has no idea who Madelyn is. In fact, the two women both make a pact - Madelyn with full knowledge of what she's doing and Lucy wholly in the dark - that they will leave all their major life decisions up to the other person - an ostensibly more dispassionate and objective person - so as to avoid incurring any more self-inflicted mistakes in their lives.

Written and directed by Joan Carr-Wiggin, "If I Were You" plays much like a modern-day Feydeau farce, its humor based on a complex web of interconnected coincidences, misunderstandings and strategically withheld information. It's a clever, insightful little comedy that, by carrying its ironies and implausibilities to an almost absurd level, manages to make us face - and, even more amazingly, laugh at - just how real and cutting the pain caused by infidelity, romantic relationships and even platonic friendships can be. But the movie also deals with such heady themes as deceit, betrayal, hypocrisy, self-worth and a woman's place in the world, all without breaking a sweat. In fact, this becomes a growth experience for Madelyn who soon learns that she has a purpose and identity of her own apart from wife to a cheating husband.

It's true that the movie sometimes feels like it's a beat or two off in its more broadly comic moments (especially early on the film) and the ending rates as a bit of a cheat and copout, but those weaknesses are easily overlooked amidst fine performances by Marcia Gay Harden, Leonor Watling, Joseph Kell and Aidan Quinn and an overall wisdom about how life works.

What you might expect from a movie about two women, one who is lovely, older, wiser, and not as firm, the other lovely, young and not very bright, except for when it comes to manipulation and adoration of the physical and the moment, would not be what you get in If I Were You . It's a movie that does not underestimate the buddy aspect of a romp, and it turns that inside out by using traditional methods, straight (wo)man, loose limbed physical comedy, and adds a dose of heartbreak not only in the realm of love, but in all relationships including friendship and parent child. It's an exceptional vehicle for Harden and one she readily deserves as she is overlooked and underused in so many ways.

This is an intelligent and funny movie, well worth watching, even if for the first act alone. Harden and Watling are genuinely entertaining to watch. They have great chemistry, playing off each other beautifully. The film's only flaws are in the somewhat uneven plot, and a couple of very minor characters with sub-par acting -- the waitress in the opening scene must be surely be the producer's sister or something.

The first act is surprisingly great. I literally laughed out loud. The concept is also super fun and intriguing. Marcia Gay Harden's every move is perfect as Madeline, the prim and proper, confused working wife. Leonor Watling also gives a wonderful performance as Lucy. She gives Lucy exactly the right blend of naïvete, savviness, and genuine innocence, which allows us to care about Lucy even if she doesn't always do the right thing.

The second act continues at a pretty good pace. However, to keep from dragging, the middle of the movie craved a couple of extra plot complications.

In the third act, the tone of the movie shifts considerably. Now If I Were You is a drama, and a major new character is introduced. The story would have been even stronger if it could have retained more of the fun-loving spirit of the first act.

Overall, If I Were You gets a 6.5 . . . since that's not an option, 7.

I only recently discovered this little gem on Netflix and I was really impressed. This independent film is everything that so many Hollywood films aren't (anymore): complex, interesting, challenging, funny. The acting (especially Marcia Gay Harden and Aidan Quinn) is excellent. Despite its 2-hour run-time and complex plot, it never bogs down. Director Joan Carr-Wiggin does an admirable job of keeping the story moving and relatable through all the twists and turns of the plot and subplots. In fact, the story itself mirrors the Shakespearean structure with intrigue, mistaken or confused identities, poignant subtext, etc. And to top it all off, there's no formulaic development or "Hollywood ending" to ruin the great story! This film is truly delightful and its a shame that it did so unbelievably poorly at the box-office. The critics have not done it justice, either, giving one-line reviews that make me wonder if they even watched it. If you check on Rotten Tomatoes, you'll see that the audience score is around 70%, while the critic's score is at 9%! Definitely a disconnect with reality, in my opinion. It's not a perfect film, and if IMDb allowed it I would have given it an 8.5, but it's certainly MUCH better than its critical ratings and box-office earnings indicate.

Loved it! I just stumbled upon this movie on new releases on Netflix and was watching it while working in my studio. It is funny without being cute, poignant at times without being maudlin and downright fun.

I love the premise of the movie, the likes of which I've not experienced elsewhere - and heaven knows it's rare to find a new plot!

Although Marcia Gay Harden steals the show, I think the other actors effectively support her lead.

I don't often watch any film more than once, but I would watch this again with someone who's seeing it for the first time, for sure. The last romantic comedy that fit this category for me is Love Actually, which is one of the few movies I own and enjoy watching periodically.