The libidinous urges have burst out from an unconscious that can no longer be contained. If their marriage was that fragile to begin with, they would have been divorced a long time ago. Kubrick's studied and austere style of filmmaking got the best of him in this movie, probably more than in any of his pervious films. Bill's search to quell his stirred up passions takes him to the sexual underbelly of modern Western society. His journey is memorable only for its tediousness.
Shots tend to be static and the dialog is slow and drawn out.
Adding to the pain of watching this film is Bill's habit of repeating questions asked by the other characters. The result is Bill ends up looking a tad on the dense side. The pace of the film puts a spotlight on Tom Cruise's inability to come anywhere near to developing a believable and nuanced character. Cruise could barely manage the three or four emotions he used to create his role. At the best of times he comes across as an actor who is awkward and uncomfortable with his profession.