It's difficult to write about Isabelle Adjani in this period without using the word "luminous" - and I was trying to look past that into the film itself, and the performances.
As others have noted, Maggie Smith is in commanding form and really anchors the film, whereas I felt that Alan Bates was a bit muted - albeit playing an unpleasant character. Adjani is mostly fine but I felt that we had no time in the beginning (or indeed later) to really get to know her husband, so her ongoing devotion to him looks poorly founded and, given the affair with Bates, confusing in any case. I was also unconvinced by her being characterised as "from the West Indies". Surely there was an easier way to explaining her difficulty in getting a work visa?
I'm sure that similar arrangements were not uncommon but the script could have worked harder to maintain full plausibility, I feel. Worth a look for the performances though.
As others have noted, Maggie Smith is in commanding form and really anchors the film, whereas I felt that Alan Bates was a bit muted - albeit playing an unpleasant character. Adjani is mostly fine but I felt that we had no time in the beginning (or indeed later) to really get to know her husband, so her ongoing devotion to him looks poorly founded and, given the affair with Bates, confusing in any case. I was also unconvinced by her being characterised as "from the West Indies". Surely there was an easier way to explaining her difficulty in getting a work visa?
I'm sure that similar arrangements were not uncommon but the script could have worked harder to maintain full plausibility, I feel. Worth a look for the performances though.