A Perfect Man

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

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...

Nina (Tripplehorn) has had enough of her Husband's cheating, giving him the boot in the process. James (Schreiber) unintentionally falls back in love with Nina after she pretends to be another woman on the phone. I liked the idea of the "reverse" love story. It did an original thing by not going the predictable route. The way it is executed really disappointed me. It is so dull. I had no interest in the two leads. They were unlikable people that I had no sympathy for. Tripplehorn's character is easier to sympathize than Schreiber's, obviously, but that didn't change that I didn't like her either. Why did she put up with this for so long in the first place? He should have been gone the first or second time that she caught him cheating. As a big romantic, I hated this film. The dog stole every scene he was in as far as i'm concerned

3/10

The movie is meh. Cheating husband, wife fed up, but oh they still love each other - that was never their problem, even though he has slept with anything that moves, but who cares... ... seriously, you can't really care, the people are so unappealing and flawed, and not even in the least interesting, but it's the dog who steals the show.

I love Briards, and Larry (Mahler) is great.

The people have no redeeming properties, and don't deserve the dog. The man uses him as a bargaining chit, the woman doesn't take the dog with her when she leaves, knowing that the man won't walk him/care for him, so to a dog lover like me, either one of them can go straight to hell, and give the dog to me.

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.