Denial
Denial
R | 01 January 1998 (USA)
Denial Trailers

Couples split up after a comment at an LA dinner party sets up arguments about how truthful partners are in their relationships.

Reviews
Dave from Ottawa

...but I can't exactly remember what. When a film purports to have a philosophical viewpoint on sex, relationships, fidelity and especially on how they each involve and relate to women, and ten minutes after the thing ends you can't remember what that viewpoint was, is this a good indicator of how well it got its points across? Yes. It is. Individual scenes worked well enough with a succession of portrayals of seemingly functioning relationships slowly showing cracks of dissatisfaction, but this is the best part of the movie. The cast of mostly TV actors is good, but the overall sociological ideas (as promulgated by Seinfeld's Jason Alexander) are weak and poorly focused, beyond that which is obvious or trite. The look of the film is good enough indicating efficient use of a middling production budget, but there are no grander cinematic ambitions here, no attempts to build up the script's ideas using the cinematic landscape. The landscape is just a background for the characters. It's not boring, exactly, and those in a mood for a relationship comedy won't hate it, exactly. They just won't get anything more out of it than they would a two inch column in Cosmo.

... View More
Amy Adler

Joel (Jonathan Silverman), a hotshot LA lawyer, is throwing a dinner party with his beautiful second wife, medical student Sophie (Leah Lail). Also at the meal is photographer Claudia (Amy Yasbeck) and her handsome husband, Isaac (Ryan Alosio) as well as chef Sam (Patrick Dempsey) and his pregnant fiancée, Sammie (Christine Taylor). They are exchanging banter when another guest arrives solo. That would be author Art (Jason Alexander), a new client of Joel's. In short order, the "sweetness and light" of the dinner blows away, as Art dishes on the subject of marital fidelity. It is this writer's opinion that men will never be faithful, even in marriages where the wife is greatly loved. Uh oh. Virtriol is soon being flung, for Claudia, especially, is very angry at Art's smug ideas and egotistical personality. Before long, the party is over. Once the guests have gone, Joel and Sophie get into further discussion of fidelity, because Joel cheated on his first wife with Sophe. The other couples arrive at their homes pretty confused also. It isn't too long before Art's theories are tested, as Joel frequents an oriental "massage parlor", Sophie garners the attention of an anatomy prof (Charles Shaunessy) and Isaac meets a lovely antiques dealer when he shops for an anniversary gift for Claudia. Also, Sammie is busy redecorating her home for the baby while Sam spends long hours at the restaurant, taking breaks to visit the triple X theaters and read his porn magazines. Then, too, Joel has to bail his brother Reuben (Adam Rifin, who wrote and directed the film) out of another tangle with the law and a chance second encounter between Claudia and Art, of all people, may lead to something, too. Whoowee, are the writer's ideas correct? If not for the wonderful cast, I would have turned this sleazy flick off after the first 30. Silverman, Dempsey, Taylor and the others are THE only reason to keep watching, for they try to elevate the material into something watchable. It's a no go. Yes, there may be something to the difficulties of faithfulness in marriage but this seems to delve into deviancy, too. The sets, costumes, and camera work are fine but nothing spectacular while the script and direction are sometimes interesting but mostly offensive. In brief, don't bother to look this one up, especially if you are a newlywed. It's a depressing film with very little to offer the viewing public.

... View More
Mr.Uxo

This film is perfect. Adam Rifkin does a great job, the story is flawless, well almost until the end, kind of gets a little sappy. But I loved this film because it conveys the very epitome of what I believe in. Humans were not meant to be monogomous creatures by nature but they are in Denial. This Denial is the very cause of all the deceit, adultery, divorce and mishap in relationships. We, being humans, need to be free to explore all avenues when it comes to sex and that which we find attractive, thus the origins for this film. Bravo. If your in Denial while reading this, come to terms with your own desires and needs, and go after what you want. Monogomy is best left for those who are too stubborn to know the reason for their own existence. By the way, the male acting is great and this is very funny film. 10 out of 10.

... View More
MetaRoc

You Can deny it all you want but it is funny! Jason Alexander is hilarious...

... View More