Some movies have very VERY low audio, this was one. I can only turn the laptop up so high, and usually 100% is enough to hear. This one, as with some others I've noticed, couldn't hear at all. A shame. I had to watch the whole movie with earphones to be able to hear it at all.

Only in the movies.........

Years ago, when my children were young, I rented this movie and immediately turned it off as the first Christmas morning scene unfolded. "Argh," I said to myself, "No one wants to see a film about a man cheating on his wife and ruining his family." Decades later, I re-visited this film one evening and found myself completely riveted by it.The film is "thin" and one needs to watch it more than once to fill in the blanks. It appears the producer and director were attempting a modern version of a 40"s-50's romance film, but wanted to give it an "edgier" and more realistic story line. Many will find it disconcerting that the premise hangs on the dissolution of two unhappy marriages in order for the central characters to make space for what seems to be their own selfish happiness, but after hanging on to a failing marriage for over 25 years, I found myself profoundly understanding the underlying dynamics in the film.The complex emotions that undulate throughout this film are beautifully depicted in the facial expressions, controlled tempo of words and breath of both actors, but Meryl does it all a touch better than her counterpart. Watching their eyes move back and forth caused me to enter into the story of two people struggling to hold back an attraction that lures them closer and closer to a flame they both know will burn them. While we are meagerly exposed to it, we get the sense that the loneliness they suffer in their marriages compels them forward into a companionship that both heals and cuts.They can hardly bear the ache within their marriages, but neither can they bear the ache of tearing all that they have apart, and then again, neither can they bear the ache of being apart from each other. In the end, they are given a chance to "go back," but neither can. The final scenes are well, Hollywood trite, but given that, both DeNiro and Streep act so believably in the confines of the predictable romance happy ending script, one simply forgives the contrivance. As they gaze into each other's eyes, one sighs and closes the book. It was a fairy tale after all.I will most likely watch it again, maybe a few times, maybe more.

This is a beautiful and intense film.
and i love it b/c we understand it.
all of the emotions,the situations we
sometimes put ourselves in etc. etc.
Oh this is a favorite =]

Meryl Streep & Robert Deniro are classic, great actors. That said, there was something off about them playing the parts that they did. Looking at the story line, I think it was well-written and a very plausible plot. But Deniro's character came on a bit too strong with his intensity and Streep didn't take enough initiative. It's like I kept waiting for Deniro to just lose it and for Streep to be the cowering victim; So no, I don't think their opposition meshed well, especially for people in suburban lives with no real physical or grave/extreme dangers/realities to face; maybe if they were poor and with the wrong crowd, I'd buy their dynamic.Regarding infidelity, yes, love can come from nowhere and at least 1x in our lives if we're lucky. But really, if you're in a mediocre relationship, be honest with yourself and your spouse. Either get out, work on it, or talk about it. It's sneaky and manipulative to just "hold on" because nothing better has come along or because you don't want to be alone. Really, you're a weak individual if you've got issues going it alone, which already is going to doom a relationship that you get in. As you can tell by the spouse's anger in this movie, it hurts to have someone cheat on you; and no, I haven't had this experience. But I just don't agree with hurting someone unnecessarily when you can be honest with yourself and your spouse from the get-go and do something about your problems...and there is such a stigma about being alone, but it's definitely better than settling. Besides, being alone means that you can come together with your sig. other gradually and work your way back to that spark that you once had.But yes, history does tend to repeat itself, especially when we run away from our problems. If the characters were just looking for distractions, then the real root of their issues in relationships with resurface with the next sig. other.It's totally unrealistic to hop from one relationship to another, just waiting for a better opportunity. This is when things get messy and emotions get out of control. People aren't tissues to be used up. So if a relationship isn't right, call it off, and only get into a new relationship if it's right, not because it's new.

You don't always get to decided when love comes. I do see a lot of disfunctional relationships all around me and so many unhealthy people that think they are in love. These two lovers weren't crazy and out of control, they just fell in love. I agree with Gwyneth P, marriage is outdated but only if you are lucky enough to find love more than once. If you don't, then stay married at least you can have sex everyday. hahhahhah!