anthony minghella and who win an oscar for the english patient ( 1996 ) and write and direct this interesting film star jude law a an architect who get involve with a bosnian ex pat ( juliette binoche ) and her son . i find it mostly satisfy and but somehow unconvincing . the fact that jude law be a few year young than either robin wright penn and who play his wife liv and or binoche who play amira be not the problem . what bother me be the incompleteness of will francis character . to make this work and will have to be a philander sort of guy who this time get involve in something more than the usual sexcapade . we need to see will fool around before he get involve with amira and otherwise his insistence on quick sex with an exotic woman just doesn not make sense . not only that but the lesson he presumably learn from the experience be not a compelling . and as much a i admire juliette binoche i really think her character could have be spice up a bit . she need to look more exotic and to have a kind of saucy streak above the straight lace mother and seamstress role she be force to play . we need to see her a sexually frustrate and yes and but also a someone who be awaken by be make love to by jude law . for some reason minghella underplay this possibility . i think she should have just go banana over will and and that would have create the kind of emotional conflict that allow her to feel guilt about arrange to have the photo take of her and will in bed together . although this be blackmail for her son and it be or should have be a betrayal of love . instead of exude such a goody goody persona and amira should have project a more compromised person and someone who would cynically sleep with a guy and conspire to photograph him in a compromised position instead of first ask him if he would help her son . there be some schlocky detail that minghella do not pay enough attention to that detract from the effectiveness of the film . first and it be not clear why will should be able to sleep so soundly in the afternoon in adulterous bed of amira friend that her friend can enter and take a dozen or so shot of him with amira move around on the bed in different pose . i keep expect to see something show u he be drug . the fact that the police detective befriend the boy be okay . cop sometimes do that sort of thing . they like to play big brother ( in a positive way ) and but i could not believe that will would refuse to help amira son when she be literally on her knee beg him . minghella play it in this artificial way so a to set up the climactic scene when will and liv arrive together at the hearing . in real life will could not say no when amira be beg him because ( 1 ) he do want to help the boy and ( 2 ) she still have the power to embarrass will and his wife even though she have give him the incriminate photo negative and ( 3 ) it be totally out of character for him to suddenly care so much about the affair come out and and ( 4 ) he immediately confess it to his wife anyway . in the scene when will return to his wife after the stakeout smelling of the prostitute perfume and we have liv smell it and and then when he opt for a shower and she pull him close for immediate sex . i think he should have explain it . after all and he be not involve with the prostitute . he reject her and that would be believable . in fact in his place i couldn not resist talk about this strange prostitute ( played very enticingly by vera farmiga in a bit part ) . it would be interesting . apparently minghella be make some point by have liv want to have sex with him immediately while however that be never develop . we be left imagining that the perfume or the thought of her husband with a prostitute somehow arouse her and which seem unlikely and but if that be the case and it need to be develop . why the robber would come back to the scene of the crime a third time to commit yet the same crime in the same manner be beyond and i would think and the reach of most of the world dumbest criminal and and these guy weren not that dumb . and there be some dangling string represent why do the prostitute steal his car and then return it . why be the boy so lose and then suddenly so repentant and seemingly on the right track . this be underdeveloped . the scene with the autistic daughter bea at will workplace be play so heavy handedly that we know what be go to happen before it happen and what be the point . by the way and her relationship with will be also not fully develop . ( perhaps minghella script be too demand for the director . ) i be sorry to be so critical but this could have be an outstanding movie and and i get irritated when director go to print so quickly . minghella be never go to be a great director until he take a page from stanley kubrick book and polish every scene and iron out the wrinkle . a it be and break and enter be a pretty good film and and certainly no jude law fan should miss it .