Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

Tom Wilkinson plays a man whose perception of his life changes drastically in Separate Lies. Written and directed by Julian Fellowes, this film is a complete antonym of the Hollywood movie structure, which seems to have been deficient for quite a while now.

Wilkinson plays James Manning, a big-name prosecutor who is extremely difficult to live with. His wife Anne, played by Emily Watson, takes care of him and his every need but knows that she can never meet his high standards. The two live in London but have a house in the country where they go on a consistent basis.

Manning is extremely pleased with himself and his life. However, things start to take a different direction when Anne meets William Bule, played with a mix or warmth and arrogance by Rupert Everett. When a hit-and-run accident kills the husband of the Mannings' housekeeper, the Sherlock Holmes in Manning awakes and he ends up blaming Bule for the accident.

This part of the story might lead you to believe that this movie is a crime/mystery. It's not. The identity of the killer is known very quickly. The movie shows how Manning's self-assurance takes quite a hit when things start to escalate and everything is happening at too fast a pace.

In Manning, it shows a man who really has a life code written down and believes in doing the right thing, but his values change completely whenever anyone close to him might be involved in the dark business he condemns.

Through the course of the film and as it progresses, Manning's relationship with his wife changes dramatically. However, the most touching thing about it is that regardless of what happens and of the way his wife brings him back to earth, his love for her never erodes.

Wilkinson gives an absolutely masterful performance as Manning, who goes (and makes us go) through an extremely wide range of emotions. He has been a model of consistency, and it's nice to see that Fellowes just let him be the central character in this movie. Wilkinson obviously shows the ability to carry it. The James Manning character goes from complete self-contempt to extreme sorrow to being at peace with the new existence that stands in front of him. To efficiently portray these states of mind in a movie that lasts only an hour and 20 minutes is a stellar accomplishment. And Wilkinson pulls it off.

Emily Watson is also brilliant as the wife who loves her husband but is finding it increasingly hard to carry the weight of his expectations. Things get especially difficult for her when Bule enters the picture. Speaking of Bule, it's amazing how someone as flagrantly gay as Rupert Everett keeps getting these womanizer parts. When you watch the movie, you'll realize that it really doesn't matter, because he does that very well. The man's charm is palpable and he is a perfectly believable Bule and a great presence on the screen.

The rest of the cast is excellent even though they get minimal screen time compared to the three main characters.

In Separate Lies, Julian Fellowes creates a complex universe in which little is as it seems. The movie is not really a mystery movie, or at least, mystery is not the aspect that Fellowes chose to focus on. Instead, he decided to showcase a man who feels like he's in complete control of his life, but realizes the hard way that it is not the case. The movie slightly feels like a morality tale in the sense that at the end of the movie, Wilkinson has finally learned his lesson and realized how the things and the people in his life matter to him. This is a typical British movie, but it's entirely believable. Hollywood blockbuster fans might want to stay away from this one as action scenes are lacking and are replaced with impressive dialogs and character development. Tom Wilkinson gives one of the most impressive acting performances of 2005 and is surrounded by a great supporting cast. For anyone who can forgive a relatively slow pace, Separate Lies is an excellent movie that I strongly recommend.



Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie