A Perfect Man

This movie truly hit home, because it was all about a guy name James (Me). I really didn't realize how much I loved Tia and took her very existence for granted. This was art in motion, the hell with the rest speak on...

"We haven't talked like that since we first met." Nina (Tripplehorn) and James (Schreiber) are a happily married couple, at least that is what Nina thinks. One day as a joke she follows one of her friends as she heads home. When she catches her with her husband her life is shattered. When she moves out she finds its not as easy to get over him as he thought. In order for closure she calls him as another woman and the romance starts to spark again. This is a hard movie to explain. First of all the synopsis I gave is what I read the movie is about before I started to watch. The only problem with this is that explanation doesn't really seem to be the main focus of the movie. While that is an aspect of it I really think the main plot of the movie is watching how James deals with his actions and how it affects him and everyone and and everything around him. All that said the movie isn't bad but it had the definite feel of a Lifetime movie. The movie itself is a little slow moving and very hard to get into but keep in mind that I am a man and not into the Lifetime-type movies. Overall, another movie where the idea sounds better then the execution. I give this a C+.

First up, I have to say that I was never aware or could never tell, that this film was made over 13 years. The majority of the film was produced in 2000, then shelved, then finalised some 12/13 years later after reshoots and further editing. None of the cast seems to have aged over that time. I don't really know how the uniformity was achieved.

A Perfect Man is not a great story, but it is interesting. I really liked seeing Jeanne Tripplehorn in a lead role again and feel sorry for her, that the film, when finally released, flopped big time. She deserves better. Her Nina is a dignified woman, though I do find it hard to believe she would have stayed with her husband of 9 years, after 4 previously revealed affairs on his part.

Liev Schreiber does just about the impossible and makes a serial heel of a guy, actually somewhat sympathetic. The Dutch locations are very watchable and largely Dutch support characters of some interest. (Let's not even bring up the stereotypical, big talking. Aussie client.) I did find it a little strange the underlining of Nina's bestie being a supposed trans male, though I guess it did fit in with the running theme of role playing games, operating through the storyline.

The ambivalent conclusion with the possibility floated of a reconciliation in an old location is well-handled and realistic. And the casting of "Lawrence" the dog was a winner as far as I was concerned. Good to see him get fairly extensive screen time. With canine charm and appeal, he easily stole every scene he was in. The curious discerning viewer may well find A Perfect Man to be of some interest.

Review: This is a very simple movie, based in Amsterdam, about a man who has an affair with his work partners wife and blatantly gets caught out by his wife. After her birthday party, she decides to leaves her husband and the rest of the film is about how much they can't live apart. There wasn't that much to the film and I personally found it quite bland and dull. There are a couple of twists along the way, which were pretty predictable and the ending wasn't that amazing. It could have done with a few more interesting characters and some more substance but on the plus side, the acting was OK. It's basically your everyday story about the ups and downs of a relationship, which I got quite bored of after a while. I was hoping for something out of the norm to happen, which it doesn't, but I'm sure that the lovebirds out there will find it slightly entertaining. TV Movie!

Round-Up: Liev Schreiber has certainly had a versatile career. From the action packed X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Salt to deep dramas like the Butler and comedies like Fading Gigolo, he's really covered different genres throughout his career, which started in 1994. At the age of 47, he's not showing any signs of slowing down but I doubt that this film will push him into the mainstream. Jeanne Tripplehorn's claim to fame was her role in The Firm but she hasn't really starred in any major since. I honestly think that Waterworld really destroyed her and Costner's career and there both trying there utmost to get back to were they were at the height of there careers. As for this movie, I was more interested in the dog than the couple, which I totally blame on the director because he didn't give the audience a chance to warm to the cast. Its short an sweet but not my cup of tea.

Budget: $5million Worldwide Gross: N/A

I recommend this movie to people who are into their romance/dramas about a couple who questions there love for each other after the man gets caught having an affair with his wife's best friend. 3/10

I liked the idea of the "reverse" love story. It did an original thing by not going the predictable route.