User reviews

First off, I was quite surprised to see the cinema so full for this movie, even on opening weekend. I guess not that many movies for women in their 30's plus exist these days!

I expected this movie, as I'm sure many people did, to be a Fatal Attraction but with the genders switched around.

I was pleasantly surprised and shocked by it NOT being what I expected, and I definitely enjoyed it alot more than Fatal Attraction.

The summary of this movie is that Diane Lane's character starts cheating on her husband (Richard Gere) with a beautiful French man(Olivier Martinez). Everything else should be left for surprise.

The pacing of this movie is perfect. We got a sense of Connie and Edward's home life before she met the dashing Paul. They have a darling son, Charlie, who adds alot of humour to the movie, but in a non precocious way. After the affair starts we see Connie's feelings range from excitement to complete disgust with herself. And of course Edward inevitably finds out. His reaction is interesting, to say the least, and perhaps very honest.

The acting is great, especially from Diane Lane. The sex scenes are pretty raunchy, and made me uncomfortable at certain points, but it's interesting to see how different sex with the lover and sex with the husband were.

At the end of this movie I didn't feel cheated or robbed with some contrived ending (although others may argue differently). This film dealt with how being in an affair must feel, and how finding out you're being cheated on could make your react in uncharacteristic ways.

As a movie critic said, this movie will indeed make you never have an affair!

There is no such thing as an indifferent movie directed by Adrian Lyne. You'll either love it or hate it.

I liked "Fatal Attraction" though I prefer the original ending, not the revised, way-over-the-top, grade B shock ending. I was not impressed with his other hit "Flashdance". (I've chosen not to see "9 1/2 Weeks" and "Indecent Proposal" for various reasons.)

Many viewers have said that "Unfaithful" is simply a role reversal of Lyne's earlier hit "Fatal Attraction". It might be accurate but I don't think it's totally a fair comparison.

I felt that the affair between Connie Sumner (Diane Lane) and Paul Martel (Olivier Martinez) was just a basic physical attraction. It was a need that, for some reason, was not met with her husband. At the same time, the affair became more of an addiction for Connie. There's no love at all in that relationship. There is love between Connie and Edward (Richard Gere) but from what is presented on the screen, their love is on low tide. They certainly took each other for granted.

What impressed me the most about "Unfaithful" was that director Lyne and screenwriters Alvin Sargent & William Broyles, Jr. (adapted from Claude Chabrol's "La Femme Infidèle") did not shy away from the consequences of having an affair. There was no easy out for Connie and Edward and no tidy endings.

Gere was O.K. That's not to say he was bad. He didn't impress me very much. It was odd but rather interesting to see him play this rather drab, nerdy character. Something to consider: if the movie was remade in the late 70s or early 80s, Gere definitely would've played the other man.

I was angry at Connie for having an affair and betraying her family. I also felt some sympathy toward her: She was not a bad person. She's basically a good person who made some very bad choices.

One sequence that stood out for me (and apparently for many others) was when Connie is on the commuter train heading back home after her second encounter with Paul. Her facial expressions are so subtle but also tells more about what's going on with her with no dialog. The reactions range from excitement to anger to resignation to fear.

(In the Special Features section of the DVD, check out the interview with veteran film editor Anne V. Coates. She brings an interesting perspective on how she was able to edit the sequence.)

Diane Lane has received many well-deserved accolades for her performance. It's perhaps her best adult performance in her career which started in 1979 when she was just 14 in the wonderful comedy/drama "A Little Romance".

"Unfaithful" has a few weaknesses but luckily they are overshadowed by the film's many strengths, especially Diane Lane.

Diane Lane undeniably holds together this film with a magnificent Oscar-nominated performance as the middle-class housewife who has a fling with a charming young Frenchman with tragic consequences.

The first hour or so of this film does play like any stereotypical "housewife fantasy". Adrian Lyne, second only to the Scott brothers for slick visual style, uses symbolism from the outset as what seems to be a desolate and deserted landscape turns out to be a seemingly happy family home. Connie's initial "meet-cute" with Paul is preceded and caused, quite literally by an almighty wind of change...You get the idea. Lane successfully keeps the audiences sympathies despite her devastatingly selfish and irrational actions. Thankfully, she doesn't quite submit to his charms and fall into bed with him immediately - it's only after some painfully awkward meetings and phone calls that the first sizzling, erotic scene occurs.

As the affair continues I found my sympathies strongly transferring to Connie's husband, played by Richard Gere, and son. Her actions become more and more selfish and the web of lies and half-truths begin. In one strong scene the incredibly beautiful Connie, turns down her husbands loving, sexual advances in an atmospheric bathtub, leaving him visibly hurt and aware that something is badly wrong. In contrast Connie has passionless sex with Paul in a restaurant toilet, when a chance encounter with friends prevents her from seeing him at his flat.

Like a couple of other recent dramas such as "In the Bedroom", the film does eventually, and disappointingly veer into conventional thriller territory. It is to Lyne, the script and his cast's credit that the film remains completely involving as both couples secrets become clear, and they are forced to regain and find strength in their relationship in different ways for their families survival.

On the downside, Gere is heavily outclassed in the acting stakes by Lane, though the chemistry is there which is important. Olivier Martinez certainly looks the part, although I did feel the part was underwritten despite his role being, essentially, a mere plot device. As stated earlier, the symbolism is a touch heavy handed, though the visuals are always attractive.

Overall, a surprisingly intelligent and moving look at infidelity and it's consequences on an otherwise stable and comfortable family. Lane's performance is tremendous and the script offers an incisive look at the dynamics of the couples relationship as the affair progresses, and after, as tragic events unfold. Although the film does veer into conventional thriller territory eventually, the film always tends towards reality rather than genre/movie logic, and the ending is wonderfully ambiguous.

Connie (Diane Lane) and Ed Sumner (Richard Gere) are a suburban married couple with a kid Charlie (Erik Per Sullivan). Nothing terrible has happened but their marriage shows signs of wear. Then the winds of change starts to blow literally, and she collides with Paul Martel (Olivier Martinez) in the city. He helps her out with her skinned knee. She just can't keep him out of her mind and calls him up. She keeps returning to him and finally submits to his charms. However Ed starts putting it all together.

Diane Lane makes cheating classy. This movie may not work with somebody else. Never has a woman thinking about sex look so great. The story is basically a romance novel. One thing director Adrian Lyne knows about is how to class up some sexual ugliness. The use of classical piano almost makes the audience root for the cheaters. I am less certain about the on-the-nose Olivier Martinez, but the appealing Diane Lane makes up for any deficiencies.

When I saw "Fatal atractions" in 1999 I didn´t see why everyone seems to think that film is sooo good. I think this one is much better. Better acting from Richard Gere than from Michael Douglas. I also think that Diane Lane made a very solid performance. The music was very very good. Especially in some of the final scenes where Edward is sitting with his son by the piano.

Flaws?? hmm, perhaps why Diane Lane´s character seems to be so intrested in the Paul Martel-charcter. I think he was very disgusting the whole film.

another flaw that is more serious is that it´s going too slow from time to time.

RATING: 7 out of 10

+ = Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Music, Envirements - = tempo & parts of the story

// Andreas Olsson

Every now and then, I read a review of a film which is so drastically different to my own reaction to it that I wonder if we have watched the same film. This is the case for almost EVERY review of "Unfaithful". Aside from the occasional positive comment that I have read by other IMDB users, and the glowing review given by Margaret Pommeranz on the (Australian) "Movie Show" (four and a half stars, if I remember correctly), this film seems to have met with either negative or ambivalent reactions from everyone. And this surprises me immensely, because I was overwhelmed by it. I expected quite a good, slightly arty film with good performances (particularly from Diane Lane, who really impressed me in Coppola's "The Cotton Club"). What I got was a film which I think will be one of my favourites for many years to come.

The criticisms that I have read of "Unfaithful" don't confuse me because they disagree with me. I can accept that - no really, I can, although I don't see how anyone could miss the brilliant acting (one user comment said that any Hollywood actress could have done Diane Lane's performance - well, I DO look forward to the J.Lo remake in a few years), or the amazing photography, this being one of the most lush and seductive films I have seen in a long time. It's the way in which the reviewers have seemingly missed the entire point of the film, or fell asleep half-way through it.

Firstly, I will concede that Connie's motivations were unclear (although I'd call it subtlety, rather than poor scripting), but they weren't as unclear as many people would have you believe. Nor did Lyne simplify the relationship between Connie and Paul (someone called him Marcel - perhaps they DID watch another movie, or just couldn't spell his surname) - in fact, I would suggest that anyone who thought Connie was willing to sleep with the first guy she met would do well to rewatch this film and see the way that her mind works (or do you need a voice-over narration in addition to Lane's phenomenal performance?). In addition to this, I have read complaints about nudity (because apparently has no place in an erotic drama/thriller), technical problems (the reviewer who mentioned this loved the movie, but had issues with constant shots of the entire microphone, shots which he/she found very hard to ignore, but which I managed to miss completely) and the apparently "cliched" narrative. In response to the latter, I don't want to give anything away, but this film, although addressing a common topic (ie. adultery), is by no means a traditional Hollywood film, and certainly doesn't treat the topic in the same way that every other film has. Many may find the ending unfulfilling, but I can't comprehend the idea of it being cloying and unoriginal. And even if the narrative itself is conventional, the way in which it is handled by cast, director and technical crew (if you can forgive the microphone shots, I suppose) puts it so far above any of its counterparts as to warrant a much warmer reception than it seems to have been given.

Diane Lane deserved the Oscar for this, without question. Unfortunately, her film came in a year when every single Best Actress nominee was of nearly equal quality. As you can see, I liked it - and wish that more people felt the same way about it. The only suggestion I can offer is that, if you have yet to see it, then don't go into it expecting a standard thriller - in fact, it can be quite slow-moving at times. But let it be what it is, because it does a damn good job at that.

Diane Lane cheats on husband Richard Gere with hunky Olivier Martinez, hence the title of the film. Based on the much smarter Claude Chabrol film "La Femme infidèle," this American remake directed by Adrian Lyne ("Indecent Proposal" "Fatal Attraction") is slickly made, but lacking in any depth, outside of the dramatic sutuation. The film was adapted by Alvin Sargent, who's written everything from "Paper Moon" to "Ordinary People" to the recent Marvel Spider-Man films and also by William Broyles Jr. (Appollo 13" and "Flags of Our Fathers"), so you might have expected a better script, and Lyne is a director who's films are typically only as good as his scripts. The Chabrol film presented a routine marriage reinvigorated by the husband's murder of his wife's lover, but Lyne's film doesn't go anywhere that dark and ends on a rather ambiguous note. What "Unfaithful" does feature is an excellent performance by Diane Lane, who really carries the water for the film. Lane makes her character's choices and actions believable, elevating what could have easily been an empty-headed Zalman King "Red Shoes Diaries" type of softcore film to something more interesting. She makes her character's inner conflict palpable and pulls the audience into her character's justifications for her choices, right or wrong. Besides Lane, the film also benefits from a fine score by composer A.P. Kaczmarek and lush photography by Peter Biziou. Lyne is an interesting commercial director who poses interesting questions and situations in his films, but most lack the depth to be considered much beyond commercial entertainment ("Jacob's Ladder" being the exception). Overall, this is a mediocre story that's vastly elevated by a strong performance by Lane. I may be biased in favor of this film because I've had a crush on Diane Lane ever since I was 11-years old and I saw her in "Six Pack" with Kenny Rogers.

You have a loving husband and a kid who doesn't require medication or pre-teen bootcamp. Your husband owns his own company, so you don't have to work. Instead, you can let your maid do the menial housework so you can spend your days wearing cute clothes, shopping, raising money for charity, and picking the kid up from school. You have a gorgeous house, high priced vehicles, and the man you married is utterly devoted. In spite of all this you opt to get it on with some guy with bad teeth and a subleased apartment. Then you get psychotic and possessive about him, even though you have no intention of leaving your family for him. Why? Sure, Richard Gere is old and has beady little eyes, but he beats the hell out of most dads strolling state fairgrounds and football stadiums.

I just don't get it. Maybe it's because I'm single with no family and no money and no Mercedes with a leather interior, so I have trouble understanding why it is that when you have everything, you'd risk losing it for some hot sex. Don't get me wrong, I like hot sex too, and the scenes in the movie almost made it seem worth the risk. On the other hand, I don't understand why in our new HIV world you'd get it on with a stranger and not just get a naughty book or movie and take it home to a husband who'd be more than willing to oblige.

I hated this movie. Diane Lane looked fabulous in it, and you can't help but envy her body and respect all the effort she must put into it. But that ain't worth even matinee prices.

Whoever thought that director Adrian Lyne and star Richard Gere were finished needs to see this haunting and provocative film. Because this is a stunner that will put both back on the map - big time. For all their star power though, it is the female star Diane Lane who must take huge credit for making this such an effective movie.

I've always liked Lane as an actress from when she was a kid in Francis Ford Coppola films, but she rarely got the chance to 'carry' a film. Well, she not only 'carries' UNFAITHFUL, she delivers one of the most haunting and powerful performances I have seen from an actress. Think Julia Roberts in ERIN BROCKOVICH or Ellen Burstyn in REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and you get the picture. Stunning acting.

While the committed performances are what make a great movie greater, it is Adrian Lyne who has constructed such a wonderful and effective rhythm and style to UNFAITHFUL. This is not an art-film, but it is not a blockbuster either. It lays somewhere between the two and delivers on all fronts. I was totally glued to my seat from start to finish.

Obviously, there have been many movies about people having affairs. In fact, Adrian Lyne - who directed "Unfaithful" - directed "Fatal Attraction". But good performances keep this one afloat. They create an interesting blend of drama and suspense here, with wife Diane Lane having the affair, and husband Richard Gere wondering how long he can put up with it.

I don't know whether this is really any masterpiece. It mostly seems pretty routine. It's just that it creates a feeling of impending doom. Also starring Olivier Martinez and Erik Per Sullivan (aka Dewey on "Malcolm in the Middle").

I wasn't expecting much from 'Unfaithful' as I thought it would be another 'The Perfect Murder' type thriller. But 'Unfaithful' is so much more than what 'The Perfect Murder' could ever be. It's deeper. It's darker. It has so many psychological layers. It's more a character driven drama rather than than plot driven. The plot may not be exactly original but it's the influence of it on the characters is what 'Unfaithful' is about. The film is very engaging as we witness the psychological effects of the consequences of Connie's decision. Lyne deserves praise for his excellent artistic execution. I loved how he used symbolism (such as metaphors and pathetic fallacies) and shows great attention to detail as is evident in the visuals. The editing is clear cut. Biziou's cinematography is great and Kaczmarek's score sets the tone. Note that during the key moments, when the main characters are conversing, the background music is absent. Richard Gere and Olivier Martinez, though a little too old, do decent jobs. However, it is Diane Lane who gives a career-defining performance. Her sublime portrayal of the incredibly sexy Connie is awesome. She carries the film. It is Diane Lane and Adrian Lyne's film. 'Unfaithful' is a magnificent engaging artistic drama. I don't understand why some were even harsh enough to call it soft-core. Do they even know the definition of soft-core? Others seem to have a problem with why Connie, who had the perfect life, would have an affair. But I feel it necessary to stress that nobody is perfect and therefore the perfect life does not exist. Connie's affair wasn't a planned thing. Who knows why it happened? Perhaps she wanted to feel younger, perhaps she was bored, or perhaps she wanted more from her husband. I don't think it was with the intention to ruin her 'perfect' life. There doesn't have to be a clear reason...as affair's don't necessarily happen for the best reasons.

A. Lane is a good character in the middle, not at first of the movie. at first of the movies i found her playing a bit fake. B. some lack of police aspects and police investigation. C. uncertain ending of the film. will he punish or not. Good things about. A. you can learn good lessons of this movie, Lane 's caprices made a family ruin. a murderer, a family rupture... B. their kids does not like to marry, he knows what her mother does. C. red light at the end of the film says consider red light you should not pass in your life. D. french charterer was really fit the movie, oliver martinz speech with Lane 's husband shows French character in perfect way. if oliver was an american, he would save his life by not being too honest.

We went and saw the movie together, and both came away with the same impression. The movie focused too much on the affair, and did not develop what should have been a great scenerio after Richard Gere confronts the young lover. The affair, which was what the movie focused on, was impressive. And you got some idea of what it was that drove her in her obsession. However, we felt that what happened after would have served the audience with much more to remember than just steamy sex scenes and the the uncomfortable feeling you got from watching a partner destroy the trust and honesty in her relationship. We both however did like the ending. From watching some promotional interviews, Richard Gere said there were a couple of endings shot for the movie, and he personally liked the ending that finally was used. We liked it also. Anyway, if you haven't seen it yet, might want to wait till it hits video. And then, enjoy the guilty pleasures of the affair (if you can) and don't expect to feel satisfied when you are done watching it.

Greetings again from the darkness. So many glowing reviews of this film that I found to be extremely predictable and almost emotionless for such an emotional topic. OK, the subject matter is handled in a slightly more realistic manner than is the Hollywood custom, but still no real surprises. Underrated Diane Lane does have some nice moments of disgust and regret, but the two male co-stars seem to be little more than decoration. The little kid from "Malcom in the Middle" is there to make us believe that Gere and Lane have a wonderful family and life living in a dream home. It is just difficult for me to believe anyone would throw away this perfect life for lust ... especially with time to ponder the move. And I am a GUY! Director Adrian Lyne has quite a track record of showing the weak side of people. I think he specializes in this because it is such an easy topic/target. It is nice to see a movie written for the over 35 crowd. Now if we could get just a bit more depth.

Unfaithful was an extremely powerful movie and was much, much more than what i had expected when i rented the dvd. Diane Lane was the main reason i got this film out because i had heard so many good things about her performance and that she has won the Oscar nomination for best actress in the films main role. Well, the hype was true. The film is excellent and Diane is seductive, sexy and downright awesome as the films main focus. She proves here what many believed before... she is a beautiful and talented star capable of carrying a movie. Richard Gere gives very solid support to her and the films director really knows his game. An all around winner.

I wonder where did Mr. Lyne and Mr. Sargent live. Are they confusing Chicago, the Windy City, with Manhattan? Sorry, but as a native of this city, I've never seen anything like the wind storm at the beginning of the film. It's a very silly premise to throw the 2 would-be-lovers together. At any rate, can anyone tell me what was Connie Sumner doing in Soho buying party things that she would have been able to get (much cheaper too) at the nearest mall? It just doesn't make sense, as well as the rest of the film.

Could I also ask whose idea was to cast that young actor Erik Per Sullivan as Charlie? I mean, give us a break, Mr. Lyne, with such nice looking father as Mr. Gere and a gorgeous mother, Ms. Lane, you would have expected the kid to be as photogenic and a great presence on screen, instead, we keep wondering: Is this kid adopted?

In order to make the story a little more realistic, Mr. Lyne should have insisted in keeping Richard Gere's hair without the help of Clairol or whatever they dyed his hair with, because then, the film would have made sense as we all would have told ourselves, well Edward can't satisfy Connie and that's why she goes into the affair. We are not given any indication of what's wrong with their marriage since all appears to be honky-dory on the surface.

The cliche of having a French lover has probably been used too much already and Paul Martel, the Olivier Martinez character can provide a lot of kinky sex and raise Connie's libido. Poor Edward, he can't cut the mustard at home, so Connie must go to Soho to satisfy her desires, oh la la...

Don't ge me wrong, the film is nice to look at. It's a mixture of Architecture Digest with a Pottery Barn catalogue. Wouldn't have been better to re-decorate than getting involved with Paul Martel?.

The ending is a cop out. Sorry Mr. Lyne, but are you telling us that crime does pay? Obviously Connie thinks that life could be a beach at the end of the murder!

Heaven help us from another collaboration between Lyne and Sargent. Amen

Is this a "great" film? Is this a Oscar-winning masterpiece? I honestly do not know. I was so engrossed in the plot that I didn't have time to judge artistic value. I was glued to my seat from start to finish. This is sassy, sexy thriller that delivers the goods and then some. But the actors make it work. The chemistry between each of the characters is electric.

Though Richard Gere gets star billing, it's the beautiful Diane Lane who has the most screen time. I'm always delighted to see her beautiful face on screen, but this is her most powerful performance up-to-date. Newcomer Olivier Martinez shows great charisma. He is a very talented actor, and if he goes on with his career in American movies, he can become the next Antionio Banderas. I swear, there were moments in the film where even I felt charmed by him. Richard Gere hasn't had a successful movie in years, and hopefully he'll get back on the ball with "Unfaithful." He delivers a fine, subtle performance and though I may be out on a limb, I'll say it's one of his best.

I haven't seen any of Adrian Lyne's past work, but I know he's an acclaimed director and now that I've seen this film, I'm curious to check out "Fatal Attraction" and his other past films. He definitely knows how to set the tone. The scenes have a cohesive rhythm, and I even spotted moments of symbolism.

"Unfaithful" is an intriguing, compelling piece--a real edge-of-your-seat nail-biter!

My score: 8 (out of 10)

Some ask why Diane Lane's character, a good woman with an attentive husband, would risk her whole life by having an affair with a much younger man. To feel young again? Lust? Excitement? Her husband, Richard gere, is portrayed as the kind of guy who would be open to honest communication that should have taken place before Diane Lane jumped in the sack with Paul. Obviously there was discontent in her life before she met the guy; no one goes from happily married to happily married plus one. And Gere had to have been tempted over the years. But he apparently never acted on those impulses and channeled his energy and emotions into his marriage. So what's up with Lane? Having recently watched all ten episodes of GYPSY,with Naomi Watts, I can answer that: POWER. having a huge secret makes you feel powerful and excited and continually aroused, and your emotions aren't invested in one person, which is scary when you first get married. Lane has nothing of her own, no job, no money of her own to hide from her husband. So she feels she needs something of her own that will put a Mona Lisa smile on her face when not with her lover, with whom she can experiment sexually, try things she's be too embarrassed to try with Gere. POWER is what the affair gives her, and she is seduced by it. And that POWER consumes everything in her life.