the_old_roman

Kidman is overwrought and stiff as the mother in a locked-house mystery. The young actress playing her daughter is marvelous. She takes much of the film on her shoulders but alas, it's a bit much for her to handle. Kidman's character makes no sense from beginning to end, and her involvement in the "twist" ending comes as little surprise. Fionnulla Flanigan scores points as the omniscient maid. But, alas, the film needs Kidman to carry it, and she buries it instead.

Patrick Bachau is wonderful as the tempermental artist who cannot accept the fact that his ex-wife has fallen in love with another man, a psychiatrist superbly played by George Coe. Falk's real-life wife, Shera Therese shines brilliantly as Bachau's current wife. And Vito Scotti and Isabella Garcia-Lorca are both superb in supporting roles. This is one of the 20 best Columbo movies ever made.

Dr. Frankenstein, meet your monster! Mike Binder wrote, directed, and starred as a husband who gets to make his own bed only to find that he is no longer needed to lie in it! Mariel Hemmingway steals the film as the wife who takes charge after giving into hubby's desire to expand her sexual horizons. She looks fantastic too, and is incredibly sexy without ever actually revealing her breasts.

It is sweet justice watching the lesbian partners express the husband's insignificance by gently lowering their partner's head while ignoring his whines. Once he realizes how this has gotten out of hand, the results are surprisingly twisted and contorted to an hilarious extent. And the grand finale is priceless.

If it doesn't embarrass you to watch a movie about sex, this is a marvelous escape from grim realities.