Viewers may well scratch their heads as they mull over filmmaker Dan McCormack’s
pretentious erotic thriller: Rarely has such persuasive acting, seductive scoring and silken cinematography been put to the service of such a loopy scenario.
Phillip (David Aaron Baker) confides to his friend and accountant, John (Campbell Scott), that he suspects his wife Anna (Mary McCormack) of infidelity and is thinking about hiring a detective to follow her around New York, though he also freely admits that he hasn't been faithful to her. John is eager to help out a pal, and introduces Phillip to Jordin (Peter Gallagher), a favorite of Manhattan divorce attorneys. For a fee, Jordin and his henchman, Mink (Ricky Aiello), will persuade adulterous wives and their lovers to see the virtue of marital exclusivity. John goes ahead and hires Jordin
on his behalf, making Phillip worry that he's lost control of the situation. Furthermore, someone is following Phillip, and Phillip's efforts to catch Anna in the act merely prove that she isn't entertaining gentlemen callers. After a bug-eyed man pummels him by a subway entrance, Phillip’s paranoia burgeons; the attacker turns out to be Anna’s disgruntled brother, Jeff (Rob Morrow), who’s been checking up on Phillip’s assignations at the Barbizon Hotel. Too
many satellites in the couple’s universe have gotten involved. What Jeff, John, and Jordin don’t realize is that Phillip and Anna have been faking their infidelity to spice up their waning passion, and when they finally confess it only makes matters worse. Unaccustomed to feeling like a fool, Jordin blames John for drawing him into Phillip and Anna’s role-playing web and ufortunately, Jordin and Mink like to play games of their own.
Although McCormack keeps you guessing about what's actually going on in this bizarre mash-up of AFTER HOURS (1985) and WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1966), neither the story nor the characters are especially interesting. leave a comment --Robert Pardi
