The Affair

The film is a fresh breeze of 70th-style realism in our screen. The magnificence of the film is that it's deeply philosophical without being snobbish. In a few words the film shows how craziness of modern-day life destroys families without putting blame on either gender, but instead emphasizes on the affect of the society on relationships probably best described in the monologue of the "Frenchy". But the film perfectly avoids the diseases of many philosophical films: it does not fall into a "statement" movie shoving the ideas down your throat nor does it "artistically" over-complicates them. What makes it great that the film walks the fine line never falling into either of these categories. It's perfectly dynamic, watchable and enjoyable without compromising integrity. Did we become too dumbed down by media and rotten with all the aliens, vampires and violence garbage that we cannot watch a "normal" story anymore? I have no other explanation how this terrific film that received 4 golden awards went unnoticed by public and is even out if print now. Some user comments here confirm my point. What probably does not add to its popularity is that the film is rather gloomy and does not have a happy ending, it's simply truthful. On top of great plot and directing the film has an outstanding cast which is also probably out of the favor of the media. I have no other explanation why I never heard of these terrific actors. First and foremost is of course Kelsey Oldershaw who seemed to have no limits. She can show such a variety of emotions just by the expression on her face - it's amazing. Another great actor is Andy Mackenzie who has a wide palette of his own. My overall score: perfect 10.

. no one talks like these people ... no one acts like these people ... from one moment to the next they're continually doing-saying things not making much of any sense ... evenly inconsistent throughout ... not the worst film of whatever genre it is, yet coming very-close to being unwatchable

... take-a-way the unnecessary pauses and half the film gets chopped-off ... film's been around now couple decades and never have come across it before now... kinda wishing had not at all ... twenty years and with little more than one hundred thirty IMDb ratings.. that'll tell ya more than anyone putting required number of characters to print.

Besides the Hollywood star-power I found this very grown up story great to watch and amazingly true to a society that needs to accept the power of passion and love. A commitment to finding an inner truth in a women of the present day! Kelsey Oldershaw convinces and finds great company with Andy McKenzie and Horatio LeDon. The look of this movie is so perfect and the mood is so unpretentious as I did not see it in a long time since the best relationship dramas from France at their peak in the early 70- s. The whole environment is so very true to the contemporary situation in a troubled or maybe every relationship as questions and situations of truth and motivation come to a surface and find adults often unprepared. A very beautiful film that does still leave a lot of room to enjoy and listen and reflect into personal experiences.

I could stomach this one. Unrealaitc characters. People just simply don't behave this way or say these things. Really just awful. Actors have no charisma or connection. The writing didn't help them at all however. Anyone who posted a positive review of this film was either involved in it or paid to, because this was just difficult to slog through. The female lead is unlikable fro.the start. Tou never feel any compassion or understanding towards her behavior. Her husband was so unrealistic. No man would act that way in the situations he found himself in, unless he was a complete simp, which I don't think his character was meant to demonstrate. Viggo qqs like a cartoon character. The whole plot was a mess and made no sense. Honestly, I like bad movies. I seek them out on purpose because I try to find something g redeeming or fun. This catastrophe had none of the above.

Belgian Carl Colpaert has a solid reputation as the founder of CINEVILLE Releasing, as a producer of some very fine small films (Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, Where Eskimos Live, Surviving Eden, Hurlyburly, etc) and has directed and written a few less interesting ones. This film THE AFFAIR (originally titled TOPANGA) tries hard to be a European flavored examination of relationships, but for this viewer it falls short not only in story (scripted by Colpaert and Lisa Larrivee) and in a fuzzy cast of TV actors, but also in the directorial stance of being in control of a story that needs a lot of attention.

Jean (Kelsey Oldershaw) is a bored housewife living in a designer house with her architect husband Paul (Horacio Le Don), a man of success who is so self-centered and controlling that he forgets his relationship obligations to his wife. Jean has residual scars from a traumatic childhood experience and her needs go beyond the wifely role, searching for some degree of excitement, passion and fulfillment not available in her marriage. At a local dance club she meets Viggo (Andy Mackenzie), a bohemian passionate, live for the moment guy who sweeps Jean off her feet in an affair that produces disaster in her marriage. The story concentrates on the intricacies of this love triangle, offering alternative ways to approach love, needs, and responsibilities.

The notion is solid (if quite over used) and there are aspects of the film that suffuse the atmosphere with tension and artsy techniques. But in the end the story and the actors elude our concern and we are left feeling like window peeping voyeurs, wondering why we are sneaking a peek. Grady Harp