The Other Man is Richard (Notes on a Scandal, Iris) Eyre’s latest effort – and it continues with some of the themes established in his earlier work (loss, betrayal, broken relationships, loneliness).
Using Hitchcockian or even Shyamalan-esque storytelling techniques, this adult drama bears witness to Liam Neeson’s reaction to finding out that his apparently missing wife (the ever excellent, ever beautiful Laura Linney) was/is having an affair. It doesn’t ruin the story to tell you that the other man is played by Antonio Banderas. It almost goes without saying that no-one is quite what they seem.
While the film could be described as charting the problems of rich people’s lives, the performances from all the cast keep it grounded in reality. Neeson is as Neeson does, and unravels excellently; Banderas gets to subvert his Latin machismo; and Linney is given just enough to do to make Neeson’s behaviour understandable.
The shocks and surprises as they come are well-handled by Eyre. However, one of the many criticisms levelled at him on Notes was the intrusive score: he seems to have learnt his lesson, but only a little – the score is always there in The Other Man, but is certainly not as intrusive.
This won’t play as well as Notes on a Scandal, but is worth seeking out when it opens.
Score: 8
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