I really enjoyed this movie! The characters were believable and well- acted. And Eric Mabius - what a hunk! Seriously, whoever did the cover to this movie needs to go back to photography school - they didn't do him justice at all. For people who found it boring, I believe it's because they expected the movie to be only about the romance between the two leads. However, it is about more than just the romance - it's about the heroine taking her life back after she gets cheated on by her husband. So there is romance, but there are plenty of scenes without him in it, as well.The only things I would complain about is that I think 58 was too old for the heroine, and it wasn't really explained why he liked her. I was thinking more of like a Sandra Bullock, who is now 50 but looks 40 and could look closer in age to Eric. Maybe its the fact that, although Eric was 31 at the time, he looked a lot younger. And I wish I could have seen the attraction more from his perspective. He does an amazing job of showing the chemistry, but she doesn't particularly exude chemistry in return - so I'm wondering why he liked her so much. Guess I have to read the book now!
... View MoreJacqui Bisset even at 58 still projects a vixen quality that belies her obvious maturity, here she has the opportunity to showcase her age as her asset and integral to the storyline, but ultimately, the plot is thin, the characters and situations clichéd and un-involving. She plays a woman scorned by philandering husband (Mancuso) and elects to take a trip back through memory lane to a place in which she worked briefly some thirty years earlier, and where she had a brief but torrid liaison with a man named Patrick. Patrick has since both married and died, but his son (Mabius) is a tangible reminder of her brief encounter with Patrick (but not her progeny - it's not that kind of movie) and serves to vicariously rekindle the flame she shared with his late father.It's a little disconcerting watching the two engage in the lovey-dovey dialogue and passionate embraces, the kisses looking anything but intimate. There's this whole 'Danielle Steele' quality to the movie that holds it back from the mature, poignant tale it aims to be, although Bisset at least gives an apparently sincere performance in a complex characterisation that exhibits conflicted emotions and motivations. Despite the fact her character is criticised, ostracised and made to feel 'trashy' by townsfolk concerned for Mabius' character's welfare, Bisset never becomes a tragic figure, retaining dignity even despite the lame dialogue and clichéd situations.TV movie of mediocre quality, elevated marginally by the star presence of Bisset ought to appeal to those looking for the TV cousin (and predecessor) of "Under the Tuscan Sun", or just those who remain enamoured by the evergreen Bisset.
... View MoreBeautifully executed script. My only complaint was that Jackie Bissett's accent was not explained and, as in the case of another watcher, I agreed 100% that whereas Eric Mabius was perfect in his role and totally comfortable in his/John's character being in love with an older woman, even to the end of the film, Jackie B. (who had plenty of experience in this situation as in "Rich and Famous") did not seem comfortable in return. This, beyond the fact that her character had been fleetingly in love with John's father over 25 years before. This was a beautiful story and I will seek out the book by Kinnon. Embarrassed to say that since I am in the same place now that Maggie was in the film, I teared through the entire film. Eric Mabius' powerful and perfect performance is in part responsible for my high grade. He was able to continue his character's persona created by another actor as his father giving the same passionate human flavor that a son would have who was very like his father. Beautiful!
... View MoreUnimpressive, dull and sometimes pretensious TV movie about a middle aged woman (Bisset) who discovered that his old time husband (Mancuso) is betraying her with a young secretary; after the discovery, the poor wife goes back to the city where she lives when she was a teenager justo to reopen an old and decayed ballroom. This movie could be a good chance to discuss with more sharpness the anguish, troubles and fantasies of a feminine soul - especially after a marriage breakup - but unfortunately misses the point and is just a routine and unconvincing love story, narrated like a classic and old-fashioned soap opera. I give this a 4 (four).
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