Inganno perfetto

This is possibly one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I know Lifetime Movies aren't academy award winners and have plots similar to this one, but I expected so much more because of Mira Sorvino. I'm always amazed when an actress with real star power stoops to such a low position. There were so many holes in the plot that I found myself laughing out loud. The worst was when she was running in the garage in stiletto heels, looking more like a drag queen than her beautiful self.

This movie was trying to be "Unfaithful" of "A Perfect Murder" so badly but just never got there. Also...why does the wife who cheats always have an affair with an artist... it's always an artist! He always has long hair, tattoos and owns a loft, it's just so cliche. But if you're looking for fluff, made-for-tv movie with little depth then maybe this is for you!

Mira Sorvino, won an Oscar for best supporting actress in Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite. She appeared in Robert Redford's Quiz Show. Guillermo del Toro directed her in Mimic in 1997 which was produced by the Weinstein brothers. Harvey Weinstein allegedly made a play for her and he was unhappy that she would not play ball with him. According to Sorvino this affected her career in Hollywood.

Interestingly when Guillermo del Toro was making Mimic his father was kidnapped by Mexican gangsters who demanded a ransom. del Toro has since stated that it was easier to deal with the kidnappers than the Weinsteins!

Indiscretion is one of these Lifetime made for television thrillers elevated by the above average casting of Oscar winner Mira Sorvino and Cary Elwes.

Sorvino is Veronica, a psychiatrist, a mother and the wife of a politician, Jake who is running for election and behind in the polls. Jake may also had an affair and his slightly pro gun control stance is doing him no favours.

At a party, a frustrated Veronica enjoys a fling with an artist, Victor (Christopher Backus) however he deludes himself in believing that they have something special together rather than just a meaningless fling. Victor has temper tantrums, stalks her, he becomes friendly with her husband Jake, starts to give art lessons and maybe even sleeps with their teenager daughter. Veronica even believes that Victor plans to shoot Jake at a weekend hunting trip.

Indiscretion is a silly thriller where plausibility goes off the scales with various plot contrivances. Not only is Victor a man of artistic abilities and temperament, he is a crack shot from his army days. Victor just happens to meet Jake at a shooting range where he impresses everyone with his aim. Their daughter just happens to need art lessons. More handily Jake is so unstable, his bizarre behaviour is convenient for Veronica as the film wants to infer that he has been played by her.

Backus who is actually married to Sorvino is a terrible actor. The film is aimed at a female audience who might lap it up as time waster melodrama.

INDISCRETION (TV Movie 2016)

BASIC PLOT: On the outside, The Simons are the perfect family, whose dreams have all come true.

Jake Simon (Cary Elwes) is a successful lawyer, who's running for state senator of Louisiana. His Senate campaign is taking all his time, and he hasn't noticed how unsatisfied his wife, Ronnie (Mira Sorvino) has become. She's a beautiful blonde, who is a childhood psychiatrist, but her life is still feeling hollow. In her youth, Dr. Simon thought she'd be the politician, making the big decisions. But her life has become an ornamental one, her purpose only to fulfill her husband's political ambitions. Their daughter, Lizzy Simon (Katherine McNamara) is equally unhappy. There have been rumors Jake is having an affair, and this is causing Lizzy embarrassment, and angst.

After a final rejection by her husband, amid the rumors he's having an affair, Veronica has had enough. She meets young, gorgeous, Victor Bernard (Christopher Backus), a talented artist, at a fundraiser. The next weekend, while her husband is out of town, she buys one of Victor's sculptures. The two have dinner, drinks, and a brief, passionate affair. Veronica thinks Victor understands this is just a bit of fun, he knows she's married, with a whole other life. But in addition to being a gifted artist, Victor is also a war veteran, with problems. He can't understand why Victoria is treating him this way, and thinks he's in love with her, after only two nights spent together. He begins insinuating himself into the lives of all three members of the Simon family. Victoria tries to disentangle herself from Victor, but he's not the type to be put off so easily. He begins a relationship with Lizzy, and he's found a way to go on Jake's annual hunting trip. Can Victoria save her family, before it's too late?

WHAT WORKS: *This movie is very well cast, J.C. Cantu deserves real credit here. Even the ancillary characters are perfect, Neil (Shane Callahan), the smarmy assistant, is a prime example.

*The backdrop of New Orleans is perfect for a political thriller. They even use a real quote from the ex criminal governor, Edwin Edwards.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *if there's a secret plot, it's highly unlikely it would be executed so precisely. When dealing with disturbed people, their behavior can be unpredictable.

TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *I would highly recommend this movie to fans of TV thrillers, or fans of any of the principal actors. All do an above average job here, especially when you take into account the budget involved.

CLOSING NOTES: *This is a Made-For-TV movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.

*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.

I was set to give this 3 or 4 stars but the unexpected ending salvaged a 6 for me... Most of the movie felt predictable and like a bad stalker film until the plot twist at the very end left you wondering which was reality.