Unlikeable characters with unlikeable behaviour in an unlikeable film.

Rating: 4/10 (3 December 2004)

I just watched this movie with five women and five men. It was so universally disliked, that on our departure, a few in my group felt the need to warn people in line not to see this movie. Although Natalie Portman is beautiful in her various stages of dress (my main reason for not leaving), all four actors are gifted and the idea intriguing the movie failed to get any of us emotional invested into the characters poor decisions, demise and demoralization. This movie is packed with all of the ingredients that make up a wonderful film - writing, acting, score, cinematography and all of the stops granted an artist of Mike Nichols skills and well deserved reputation - and yet fails to work together in harmony. Gestalt - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts - is what is missing from this film. A common reaction was that this film succeeds in outshining "Eyes Wide Shut" in its treatment of adultery and relstionships and that this still only warrants a 4 out of 10.