The American Dream of the dentist David Hurst (Campbell Scott) is complete: he is married with his sweetheart from the dental school, the also dentist Dana (Hope Davis) that works with him and is an aspirant opera singer; he has three lovely daughters; he lives in a very comfortable house; and he has his own business. David is presently treating the troubled blunt musician Slater (Denis Leary), having a complicated relationship with his client. When David glances his wife in the backstage of the theater before a presentation of Nabucco, he sees a man caressing her and he imagines she is having an affair. The repressed David becomes mentally ill and uses Slater as his alter-ego to express his anger while fantasizing the relationship of his wife and fighting to keep his marriage.
"The Secret Life of the Dentists" is an original and refreshing movie about the common crisis of long-term marriage. The story is centered in the thoughts of the character of Campbell Scott, who is suspicious of his wife and imagines his world and the American Dream falling apart if his beloved unfaithful wife leaves him. The character of his wife is only passive, keeping the mystery of her behavior until the excellent and never corny conclusion. This film is recommended for mature audiences only, otherwise the viewer may not understand the feelings and behavior of the two lead characters. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "A Vida Secreta dos Dentistas" ("The Secret Life of the Dentists")
