A Husband, a Wife and a Lover

We live in an uncertain age where affairs seem to have become the norm in our societies. The recent affair exposed during a 'kiss-cam' at a Coldplay concert has taken over the world's media by storm. All the values, principles, traditions, and morality from the past are seemingly thrown out of the window in favour of pleasure and deception. Some people change partners more often than they change the tires on their car.

However, 'A Strange Affair', as this film is alternatively and preferably known as, is not about the deception of a usual affair. It is rather strange in that it is almost technically not an affair at all and the lovers, if you will, are really and truly saints.

I do not want to spoil much about the story itself, but I wanted to say that it is one of the most heartwarming films that I have watched in a long time, and it just makes the heart and soul feel touched by the saintliness of the characters.

This made-for-TV movie, inspired by actual events, has a teleplay by Danial Freudenberger that avoids most of the cliches of the romantic triangle, and features an understated performance by Judith Light, who co-executive produces.

Light is caterer Lisa McKeever, who is on the verge of leaving her gambling cheating husband documentarian Eric (Jay Thomas) when he has a stroke. Although his speech is not affected, Eric is still immobilised, and Lisa feels obliged to stay in a loveless marriage. However romantic interest from her mechanic Art (William Russ) brings a complication.

Freudenberger makes Art so amenable, that Art's empathy with Eric subverts all Eric's anger and jealousy, though amusingly Lisa objects to Art's sensitive new age man routine when she snaps "Just love me. Don't try to understand me". We get doses of melodrama in a heart attack, the disapproval of the McKeever daughter ("There's a word for women who love two men"), and an air vent in Eric's room that allows him to overhear Lisa and Art having sex - though the latter is acknowledged by Lisa as a deliberate act of cruelty. Freudenberger's dialogue has the wit to have Eric describe the set-up as "the Popular Mechanics version of Jules and Jim", and has one of Eric's jokes repeated, though we also get "Why are you doing this?". Given that Lisa is a caterer and Art also a good cook, we also get a lunch where their food is eroticised as they eat chocolate.

Given that both Lisa and Art have good intentions, it's a shame that more is not made of Eric's anger, since these moments give Thomas his best moments. He is styled with a grey streak in his hair, but then both Light and Russ are also photographed with lines under their eyes.

Director Ted Kotchef creates a very clean atmosphere, with only one subjective camera angle and one expressionist shot, only one badly staged scene where Lisa eyeballs her daughter, and the sentimental music of Jonathan Goldsmith is tolerable.

Good combination- and an odd story based on fact.

The title- "A Strange Affair" is a bit more intriguing.This is an interesting story, well-acted by Judith Light and Jay Thomas.

When Light's husband (Jay Thomas) has a stroke, she decides to attempt a catering business, at first it is very uncertain, but she encounters a sympathetic auto mechanic who helps her out.

If this was fiction, it would be boring. But somehow, Light draws in the audience, makes us care. She is after all, doing the right thing, caring for a selfish husband, and trying to make things work. The children are on the periphery.

There are some beautiful winter scenes of Horseshoe Falls and the Seattle coastline, flying at 14,000 feet. This is a good film- give it a chance. Light always rises to the occasion, and makes us care about the characters involved. Jay Thomas is also believable,and sympathetic. Hope to see him in more family drama. 9/10.

Both the male leads, jay thomas and william russ are obnoxious and full of themselves, not endearing to a real woman of strength like the role judith light plays ... the film is made in toronto so there is basically no scenery worth watching ... i suppose most chick flick writers think its more romantic to have one's own catering business rather than toiling away for someone else in a high class restaurant .. judith is a very capable actress and does her roll well

Hokey, hard to believe, and downright laughable at times but I found myself enjoying it. Judith Light is an underrated treasure of our time. She does an amazing job (as usual). I'll watch anything with her. This story did not go the direction I expected, which was somewhat a pleasant surprise.

Some scenes felt very repetitive and unnecessary, while it would have been nice to see other elements added. Disappointing to include some characters early on in the movie, then just have them drop off with only a mere suggestion of why. Still, I'd recommend.