where: CINEARTS @ PLEASANT HILL in Pleasant Hill, CA
when: Thursday, April 1st, 2010
show: 4:45 p.m.
costs: $7.25 Ticket = $7.25
auditorium: 3
seat: 3rd row, 6th column, left section
synopsis: A female gynecologist, Catherine Stewart ( Julianne Moore ), suspects her music professor husband, David ( Liam Neeson ), of marital infidelity. She hires the services of a prostitute, Chloe ( Amanda Seyfried ), to confirm her suspicion. But something else, unplanned, happens.
noteworthy scenes: 1.) Planned surprise birthday party; 2.) Missed flight; 3.) The son, Michael ( Max Thieriot ); 4.) The day after; 5.) Cell phone text message; 6.) Ladies' room; 7.) Chloe; 8.) He's not the client; 9.) Cafe Diplomatico; 10.) How do you do this; 11.) Break-up; 12.) Rivoli; 13.) Picnic details; 14.) Bicycle accident; 15.) More details; 16.) I want you to be "clean"; 17.) Shower; 18.) Clinic; 19.) Windsor Arms Hotel; 20.) That's a lie; 21.) Kiss; 22.) It's a lotion; 23.) Tryst; 24.) Taxi; 25.) Couple's spat; 26.) Intimate photo; 27.) Business transaction; 28.) Ice hockey; 29.) 'Phone call; 30.) Mid-life crisis fling; 31.) Confession; 32.) House guest; 33.) Look at me; 34.) I'm not yours; 35.) The unexpected; 36.) Michael's graduation party; and 37.) The two-pronged hair fork.
audience reaction: I didn't notice anybody else in the auditorium with me--it was too damn dark in there.
recommendation: See this only if you're an horndog fan of Julianne Moore and/or Amanda Seyfried.
spoiler alert! Wouldn't it have been better had she hired a detective to investigate her husband's extra "curricular" activities? Why did Michael decide to do it in his parents' bedroom even though they were not out of town and would be home sooner or later? Does having just one erotic scene--the lesbian one--qualify this movie as an "erotic thriller"?
fyi: I believe that this is the first time that Amanda Seyfried went nude in a movie--the only reason why I went to see this movie, I must confess ( curiousity got the better hold on me ) . And according to another movie reviewer, the camera loved her body because it lingered on her figure. Bull! I should have been the director or, at the very least, the camera man for this movie since, apparently, neither one knows the meaning of the word, Linger, and the teasingly frustrating camera angles didn't serve to pander to the prurient interests of horndogs out there. What a disservice!
A rumor in Hollywood has it that Liam Neeson is one of the "better-endowed" in the current crop of actors. Do you remember the movie, NELL ( 1994 ), in which he starred with Jodie Foster? Anyway, there was a scene in which Nell ( Jodie Foster ) was skinny dipping and talked Liam's character into joining her in the water. So he went in the water. And Nell swam up to him and gave him a hug. Then, Nell slowly drifted away to about ... hmm ..., I would say, approximately twelve inches! If this ain't an indication, then I don't know what is!
word of advice: If you're already married, don't go flirting around, especially in the presence of your spouse.
tidbits: I missed the first few minutes of this movie. Consequently, I didn't have enough time to go to the concession counter and buy something to eat and drink.
I had about one and a half hour of time on my hands before the next movie, CLASH OF THE TITANS, was to start. I didn't feel like driving to the other side of town just to pig-out at a buffet. So I just did a little shopping at the Dollar Tree Store next door to the cineplex. I bought a 16 oz. bag of rice, two pairs of latex gloves for use at work. a bag of roasted peanuts, and a bag of banana chips.
And since I hadn't eaten anything since early this morning, I decided to snack on the peanuts and banana chips in my car. I also did some mantras just to while the time away. Then I re-parked my car in another spot because a big pick-up truck was parked too close for comfort on the driver's side of my tiny Geo Metro.
