Consenting Adults

Description

Academy Award(R)-winner Kevin Kline (1988 Best Supporting Actor -- A FISH CALLED WANDA) and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (A PERFECT STORM) heat up the screen in CONSENTING ADULTS, the spine-tingling sexy thriller that seduced audiences and critics alike. When two couples living next door to each other grow too close, one of the husbands risks everything for a passion he can't resist -- his neighbor's wife. His temptation traps the foursome in a shocking web of betrayal and murder. And now accused of a crime he didn't commit, he must race against time to save his family from a shocking fate. Directed by master of suspense Alan J. Pakula (PRESUMED INNOCENT), this erotic thriller twists and turns as tension builds to a sensational heart-stopping climax.

Reviews

Rating: 1 / 5
Date: 2010-04-02
Summary: "Main character is too despicable to root for"

This is a story of a man (played by Kevin Kline) who, on the surface, appears like a happy man, but internally feels discontent. This feeling becomes exacerbated when he sees his new neighbor (played by Kevin Spacey) leading this adventurous, carefree life and also by his immediate sexual attraction towards Spacey's wife.

One day, Spacey tells Kline he knows Kline is attracted to his wife. Before Kline can protest, Spacey says it's okay and offers Kline a deal. Spacey says Kline can have sex with his wife just as long as Spacey can also have sex with Kline's wife.

But there's a catch.

Instead of asking for the wives' consent in having sex with these men, these men are just going to take sex from them. Here's the plan that Spacey proposes....when their wives are sound asleep, both men will sneak out of their houses, go into each neighbor's house, wake up the neighbor's wife, have sex with her, and then sneak back into bed with their own wives. Since the lights will be kept off, each wife will assume she's having sex with her own husband.

And Kline accepts the deal!! And it's not like he didn't have any chances to back out of this deal either...in the scene where he sneaks into Spacey's house, there's a big staircase he has to climb before he's even able to get into the woman's bedroom. All that time, climbing all those stairs, could've given him a chance to grow a conscience, but instead he continues the climb and performs the act.

It's bad enough this man has sex with another woman without his wife's consent (or this woman's consent either)...but to also lend his wife's body to another man, like she was a prostitute (but a non-consentual one), makes this man one of the most despicable lead characters I've ever seen! And since neither woman consented to this sexual arrangement, technically this is rape.

The next morning, a guilt-ridden Kline tells his wife he loves her and I guess I'm supposed to believe him because he looks so sad when he says it...but I don't. If I had a husband who ever pulled a stunt like that, not only would I never believe he ever loved me, not only would I immediately divorce him, but I'd also press rape charges against both of these men.
And yet, in the end, when his wife finds out the real truth, she forgives him right away as if his betrayal was about as offensive as him forgetting her birthday.

We the audience, too, are just supposed to forget this betrayal while Kline is out trying to solve a murder that incriminates him and just be happy the murder gets solved and he ends up back with his wife. That didn't happen for me. This character was just too dispicable to root for. And although I thought the movie was suspenseful, I thought the way the murder gets wrapped up in the end was nonsensical.

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Rating: 2 / 5
Date: 2010-02-11
Summary: "not believable"

Kline is miscast, Spacey's given too much rope, and the plot - especially the second half - is one gigantic stretch after another. The actresses are good, and the singer terrific, but it's not enough. EG Marshall's character isn't needed, and Forrest Whitaker's isn't consistent. Too many holes to recommend. For hardcore K-Space fans only.

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Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2008-11-24
Summary: ""Come to Papa.""

Despite its suggestive title, this is actually a mystery/thriller and a very good one. Richard and Priscilla are a happily-married couple who have new neighbors, Eddy and Kay. Eddy is a bit unscrupulous and a little strange, yet he works very hard to establish a tight friendship with Richard. Richard is shocked when Eddy suggests a wife-swap, but later thinks it might be fun.

The first half is a rather typical suburban-marriage story, but before you know it, BAM! It turns into a scary murder story with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Kevin Kline gives a strong performance as mild-mannered Richard who thinks the grass is greener next door, but Kevin Spacey steals the show, as usual. He plays overly-friendly Eddy, gradually becoming the kind of raving psychopath that Spacey plays so well.

There are many plot holes that make the story more than a little far-fetched, but still I enjoyed it and recommend it for those who like thrillers.

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Rating: 2 / 5
Date: 2007-07-02
Summary: "Consenting Adults"

Not a bad first half, up through the murder. But when Kevin Kline's character was released on bond, that's pretty much when it fell through the roof. I've never heard of somebody making bail when they are facing life in prison or the death sentence. And then being able to go anywhere you want? Even on bail, you can't leave the city. But yet he was able to sneak around, travel to Savannah, spy on his rival, all without any hindrance from the police. I pretty much figured out why the neighbor replaced his wife with a "stand-in". He needed somebody to drive the cigarette boat to prove he was out on the lake; but what I don't understand is why he allowed her to leave unharmed when all was said and done. Not only that, you would think both the police and the insurance company would have done a better job at the investigation, especially when 1.5 mil was on the line. I'm not sure about anybody else, but regardless if the police think they have the right man or not, if money is on the line they usually investigate all ends before making their decision.

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Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2007-03-23
Summary: "Don't believe the bad reviews."

Do NOT believe the bad reviews this movie got.
I saw this several years ago, and for the last 2 years it has driven me crazy trying to remember the NAME of it, so I can buy the DVD !

The plot is really a good one. Kevin Spacey and his wife have a loving relationship, although a little boring after so many years together. They become friends with the new neighbors, and the new neighbor talks Spacey into a wife swap early one morning.

The neighbor lady turns up dead, and Kevin Spacey is framed for her murder. I believe he makes bond, and soon discovers he was framed, and the man next door's wife is not actually his WIFE, but his partner in crime. Since his wife is "dead" he moves in with Spacey's wife, and takes over his bank etc...

It gets very suspensful as Spacey sets out to prove his innocence...He also sees the woman he "murdered" in another town.What happens really shocked me. The movie is full of twists and turns,and that is what makes it so good. Sure, some of it is a little far fetched, but so are most movies, but not TOO unbelievable.
Without giving too much away (believe me, there is so much to this movie, I didn't)
it will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very end.
This movie is not only worth renting, if you are a collector you will want to add it to your collection !