A triangle tale related in reverse chronology, starting, that is, with the breakup of the pertinent marriage and working backwards nine years to the first extramarital embrace. The effect of this arrangement is to ensure that every step of the way we know more, and better, than the principal trio. And the effect of that divine omniscience, in turn, is at least twofold: to diminish any sense of suspense or other sort of emotional involvement, and to substitute a finger-wagging condescension in its place. These two intertwined strands -- the uninvolvement and the condescension -- are carried through as well, and perhaps one should say as usual, in Harold Pinter's distinctive dialogue. This dialogue is a lot of fun for a lot of reasons, but its extreme stylization tends to erode the seriousness of the piece, sets up an artificial barrier that prevents the spectator from considering the characters as dimensional human beings. And so, for all its implications about the inconstancy of love, the movie feels strangely lightweight. That is its attraction. That is also its limitation. With Jeremy Irons, Ben Kingsley, and Patricia Hodge; directed by David Jones. (1983) — Duncan Shepherd
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