Nina Takes a Lover

It is refreshing to see a movie about married life, that tells it like it is--this movie actually has a involving story! Furthermore, this movie is funny, interesting, well acted, and erotic. If you liked Laura in Quigley Down Under, and Pretty Woman, you'll love her here. Her sweet, vulnerable, yet strong and assertive personality shines as does her comedic ability. This is a terrific date movie--for married folks. Don't miss it.

A surprisingly well written and creative script, which was no simple plot: there are twists and turns, not by pushing or attention hogging actions – the film just flows from scene to scene, be it recounting or fantasizing or in the present. It's really a gem – well-cut and put together with facets reflecting, refracting and juxtaposed -- rich in story tone and colorful emotions (at times sensuous suggestions), and the happenings were all set in and around a leisurely paced San Francisco (in a cafe or a studio, for instance).

How attractive and alluring is this picture? Writer-director Alan Jacobs made spending time in a shoe store most interesting to follow, especially we are with Laura San Giacomo. Her pairing with Paul Rhys from Britain was more than suitably matched. In the end, it's absolutely fulfilling: the romance between the two key characters is imaginative and real. This film affirms that love can be wondrous and mysteriously romantic at the same time – you and your partner can be whoever, whenever, whatever you want to make it to be. Love and receive love. Be.

Laura San Giacomo was in Steven Soderbergh's 1989 `sex, lies and videotape' with James Spader, Andie MacDowell and Peter Gallagher, and in writer-director Simon Moore's 1992 `Under Suspicion' with Liam Neeson (a very good who dunnit with twists after twists and. . .more). Paul Rhys was in Robert Altman's 1990 "Vincent and Theo" with Tim Roth and Johanna Ter Steege (she was the disappearing wife in George Sluizer's 1988 Dutch film "The Vanishing".)

This is a quiet, scenic film set in the mellow San Francisco of the early 90's, with a pair of convincing & attractive lead actors. You could almost enjoy watching it on that basis alone. When the movie starts, Nina's husband has left town on business and the story unfolds as Nina meets and begins hooking up with a new lover. There's surprisingly little drama considering the subject matter, and the movie gets downright sluggish in parts. This film isn't really an exploration of the thorniness of extramarital affairs - for that you can watch "Unfaithful." Still, there's some food for thought as well as a few really touching scenes. San Giacomo and Rhys are both good actors and manage to keep things interesting.

The more I see of Laura San Giancomo, the more I like her. She was excellent in "Pretty Woman" and her presence was powerful. I'm sure her real personality comes through when she acts. All of the actors were excellent in this movie, and believable. Wouldn't married life be more fun if we could throw away the boring side, and create new characters every now and then? Instead of a husband going out to create a fantasy, it's all there under his own roof. Be who you want to be at any time, not just on Halloween :-) although it would probably be considered an abnormal state of affairs ... then again, from what we see today at the movies or on TV, maybe it would be accepted. For sure, watching this movie would make you want to try when you see the end results. I enjoyed every minute of it. The TV guide only had two and a half stars against it. I would have given it four!!!

With all due respect to the other reviewers here, I feel compelled to disagree completely & whole heartedly on their view of this movie. I'd also love to have some of whatever they were smoking which made this movie so stellar for them. I would point out to those considering watching it that the average is 5.3 stars and in my opinion, that is generous. The script is slow, the dialogue juvenile & tacky and, while the actors do their best with it, the performances are most definitely lacking.

If you want a "realistic" feeling movie about infidelity, try "Unfaithful" with Diane Lane and Olivier Martinez. Well written, spectacularly acted & far closer to real than "Nina Takes a Lover."