Separate Lies

An old man is riding his bike down a village road when a car comes out of nowhere, strikes him down dead, and keeps driving. The rest of the film is spent discovering who hit him, why he was hit, and what consequences this murder will have on the rest of the village. Separate Lies is a very British movie indeed. I'm not saying that hit-and-run car accidents are a particularly British phenomenon, but the way everyone reacts to this tragedy is very British. Tom Wilkinson plays James Manning, a hard-working, respectable citizen with a "stiff-upper-lip" attitude towards tragedy. His wife Anne (Emily Watson), who is twenty years younger than her husband, is more emotional, more impulsive, and more prone to drama.

The man who really spices up life in this sleepy village is playboy millionaire William Bule, played by a deliciously devilish Rupert Everett (most American audiences will eternally remember him as Julia Roberts' gay friend who completely stole every scene in My Best Friend's Wedding). In Separate Lies, Everett is cruel, cold, and selfish, but he's an absolute blast on screen. No, it's not that exciting of a movie title (Separate Lies – how did they end up with that lame and forgettable title? Did they just not have a marketing team? Did they just now care about getting people to see this film?), but beyond the title is a heartbreaking drama about the power of forgiveness.

The successful, honest and methodic lawyer James Manning (Tom Wilkinson) works in London and is living in the country with his beloved wife Anne (Emily Watson). Anne decides to have a party at their home, and the husband of their housemaid Maggie (Linda Bassett) is hit by a car at the same time nearby her house and Maggie witnesses that a Land Rover caused the accident. James associates the scratch on the car of his acquaintance Bill Bule (Rupert Everett) with the accident, and forces him to confess and promise to go to the police on the next morning. When he arrives home, Anne tells him that she was driving the car; further, Bill is her lover. James changes his opinion and decides to support the lie, while a persistent detective is investigating the case and the list of guests.

"Separate Lies" is not a bad movie, but the behaviors and the way of life of the characters are too British, at least follow the stereotype. It is almost unbelievable the way and fair-play that James Manning accepts his situation of cuckold, no matter how much he loved his wife. Further, he lies, what would be unacceptable for his ethical standards and rules of living. Anne Manning is a real bitch, betraying a man that loves her for a crook. I cannot see this story with Italian, Brazilian or any other Latin people. In the end, the truth, the betrayal, the corruption, the moral are blurred in a hypocrite dirty lie. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Mentiras Sinceras" ("Sincere Lies")

I wish there were more films about middle aged people. The intellectual journey and the twists and turns of life's moral highway make interesting viewing. There seems to be a different standard of judgement on women who have extra marital affairs than on men. Amy Watson's hurtful and humiliating behaviour towards her husband seems to pass without comment. Reverse the roles and one could expect a torrent of condemnation towards the man. If she found her husband boring and judgmental she could could have told him so, left and waited for a no doubt large financial settlement upon divorce. The country and London scenes are wonderfully authentic and rich while the autumnal weather adds to the melancholy background superbly. The ending is perfect, so in tune with real adult life.

Fellowes's directorial debut takes us into a tangle of complex adult relationships. His story unfolds after an accident takes place which is followed by a web of lies. Fellowes gets to the point right from the very beginning. The wonderful score and cinematography set the tone. Fellowes uses less close-ups as he stresses on the full body gesture of his actors. I also liked his attention to detail and the subtle nuances of his actors, notice his choice of location and props which are all a relevant part of the scenes. I must further add that the authentic locations are quite breathtaking.

He has wisely chosen gifted actors like Tom Wilkinson and Emily Watson to play the key roles. Wilkinson is at his best while the sublime Ms. Watson downplays her part with grace and complete ease. Hermione Norris has an effective presence. The always dependent Linda Bassett stands out. Rupert Everett looks a little awkward but is quite adequate.

At first glance, 'Separate Lies' may not appeal to all as it's quite easy to miss some of the important details and misinterpret the nuances of the actors. However, on second viewing, I was able to appreciate the film on a much deeper level. On an additional note, the director's commentary is a brilliant bonus. Fellowes provides some great insights into 'Separate Lies' and he has put a lot of efforts into its making.

Julian Fellowes, the distinguished writer of "Godsford Park", presents us with another civilized tale of self contained emotions. This time however, the ingredients are somehow at odds with each other and the strange taste that left in my palate indicates that, perhaps, it was removed from the oven a little too soon. I longed for Joseph Losey at the helm and Dirk Bogarde, Sarah Miles and Alan Bates as the protagonists. Emily Watson is always marvelous but here, she doesn't have the kind of support she, as an actress or as a character, deserved and/or needed. Tom Wilkinson, as good as he is, doesn't have the layers of a Dirk Bogarde or James Mason. He is exactly what you get and Rupert Everett, who became a star overnight with Julian Mitchell's "Another Country" has taken a strange and puzzling road. His close ups are kind of frightening. His mouth has become the center of attention and not the kind of attention one would expect. It belongs to the villain in a horror movie. I noticed that already in his comedy with Madonna. I know, perhaps, all this sounds irrelevant but it conditioned my response to "Separate Lies" I wanted to be riveted and I wasn't.