The Other Man Review

LIAM NEESON LAURA LINNEY
ANTONIO BANDERAS DIR. RICHARD EYRE
DRAMA 2008

Romance? Thriller? Taken meets The
Talented Mr Ripley? Well, yes actually.
In this latest ‘affair’ from director Richard Eyre, (of Notes on a Scandal fame) Peter (Neeson), a wealthy and successful software designer must come to terms with the fact that his wife Lisa (Linney) may have been unfaithful to him when overseas.
Loving husband that he is, Peter is
determined to identify the other man and follows the clues to
exquisite Milan to track him down and confront him.
The Other Man in question turns out to be the dashing Rafe, (Banderas) a man of the world who, as Peter discovers, may not be all that he seems.
Or is any of it as it seems?
Liam Neeson has come a long way from guest spots on Miami Vice and here gives another emotional and engaging performance as a stable, confident husband unravelling in his pursuit of the truth and reasons behind his wife’s infidelity and what it means to their marriage.
Laura Linney doesn’t give too much away as Lisa, but is
convincing in her portrayal of a woman in love with two men, but in different ways for different reasons. She maintains a level of grace, integrity and dignity throughout, not traits usually
attributed to the typical “cheating wife” character.
According to my wife, Antonio is perfect casting for Rafe,
because if a woman was going to stray, you could do worse than Antonio Banderas... Here he is still likeable, not quite Puss in Boots, but it is hard to dislike him, and even in some parts he even evokes sympathy. Rafe is a layered role which Banderas handles with aplomb.
Shot in shades of grey, perhaps to represent the lack of clear black and white side to this tale, The Other Man is a story about
knowing someone well, and loving someone so much that you cant bear to hurt them, even if that means hiding something from them.
This one will raise a number of questions and discussions within relationships, and many will not agree with some of the outcomes in the film, of course. However The Other Man is not a tawdry Indecent Proposal piece of drivel, but an emotive piece on acceptance and unconditional love.