Adultes consentants

Here's a film I thought was unfairly criticized by the national critics. Panned by about everyone, I thought this thriller was pretty good.

Yes, there is one major credibility gap in a key segment which I, too was ridiculous. (How can you make love to your neighbor, even in darkness, and not know who it is?!) Also, there is a clichéd ending, but that's not unusual in films.

Overall, however, I thought it was entertaining and nicely filmed. I'd like to see this on a DVD with a better transfer. The main actors - Kevin Kline, Kevin Spacey, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio - were all interesting, especially Spacey's villain character. It was also interesting to E. G. Marshall, who was a big star on television years ago. I'm sorry his role was so short.

The film also had good suspense. All of these are why I think the film is a lot better than it's considered.

Kevin Kline is cleverly framed for the murder of his best friend's wife, with a seemingly airtight case against him. Equal cleverness in working out this story seemed called for. Instead, the frame-up basically unravels by improbable happenstance and concludes with trite Hollywood-isms, finally throwing in the towel with a few assault-weapon blasts. Real subtle, yes?

Not too bad a way to pass the time, but ultimately a let-down.

Fans of Forest Whitaker ("The Crying Game") will be pleased to see this talented actor appearing as a very southern, shy, soft-spoken insurance investigator.

. . .but the weirdest thing is - it is eerily similar to the Aykroyd/Belushi film "Neighbors." Heavily derided in it's time, it matters not whether you liked it, it had some really weird elements to it. NOW - take out the weird elements and leave a basic plot: "Exciting" guy with a bad bleach-job and his sexy wife move in next door to thoroughly-mundane guy and his attractive wife; who, by the way have a sexless marriage. Kline/Belushi are set up as "marks" immediately, and almost as immediately the new neighbors begin a contrived "seduction of the innocent". Soon, the mundane guy finds himself trapped in an existential hell of Blondie's making(Spacey/Aykroyd). Well. Consenting Adults is not a good movie - or even interesting. Spacey gives a charismatic performance as usual, but the script lacks any originality. This was another entry in the ". . .from Hell" high-concept series of scripts from the early-90's. Babysitter. . .Cop. . .Neighbor. . .Dentist. ..I wish I could say that the best parts of this film ended up on the editing room floor - considering the cast - but there's no way this script was ever anything but stale.

Alan J. Pakula's 'Consenting Adults' is A Decent Thriller! It has some catchy moments & convincing performances working for it.

'Consenting Adults' Synopsis: A man is falsely accused of murdering his neighbor's wife.

'Consenting Adults' has its share of minuses, but what makes most of the goings-on work, is its brisk Screenplay Written by Matthew Chapman. It has some good, catchy moments, that are note-worthy. Alan J. Pakula's is perfect. Cinematography is good.

Performance-Wise: Kevin Kline is excellent. Has there ever been a better scene-stealer? Kevin Spacey makes a good menace, although he's been better. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is fabulous in a performance that ranks amongst her finest to date. Rebecca Miller is highly effective. Forest Whitaker is believable.

On the whole, 'Consenting Adults' has merits.

highly underrated. spacey provides a top notch performance, as does the rest of the cast. there is a solid chemistry between all the players which far outshadows any scripting weakness. this is a very good film, with several plot twists and great pacing.