The irony of the title ***moderate spoilers***

Rating: Null/10 (6 December 2004)

The title is clearly intended to mask the truth about this people. It seems like manipulation and deceit far exceed the desire to be loved and love in return. This film is about as flawed as its characters. In the end, it's so weighed down by its headiness and desire for purpose that it never gels into anything refreshing or honest. Though, I would classify it as a disappointment before I would call it a failure. I has a few successful performances, particularly by Clive Owen & Natalie Portman, and the interest over the outcome of these characters is maintained pretty much throughout. This is due mostly to the shifting time sequence which is, unfortunately, one of the few things outside of the acting that comes off naturally in the film. The dialogue should have been updated to match a more naturalistic approach that stage to screen adaptations require. The playwright clearly wasn't budging when adapting his own material, and that's the movie's greatest weakness. Jude Law is sufficient yet his character is given few moments to break out of his desperate skin. Julie Robert's depiction of Anna is sympathetic albeit a bit lazy. She was truly miscast which seems to be the consensus regarding this choice. Overall, none of the choices that the characters make ring true, and a lot is left unexamined despite the neat theatricality of its ending. A few questions remain. Why did Alice lie about her name? Why did Anna choose the one she clearly didn't love?