another great tom wilkinson performance punctuates separate lie and a 2005 film also star emily watson and linda bassett and rupert everett . direct by julian fellowes and it the story of a married couple and james and ann manning where the husband ( wilkinson ) believe he and his wife ( watson ) be happy together . an accident near their house on the night they have a party bring the police around . it be a hit and run that kill their maid maggie bassett ) husband . james becomes suspicious of a neighbor and bill bule ( everett ) when he see some damage on his car . he confront bule and who admit he do it and promise to go to the police the next day . when jam arrive home and ann be angry that he be make such a big deal out of it and state that she be drive the car . of course and james then isn not so eager to rush to the police . she suggest that they call bule and tell him their decision . oh and f___ bule and james say . well and that just it and ann say . i be f___ing bule . james devastation be just the beginning in this well craft drama . without give the plot away and this be a good example of how gender switching change a story . example of what i mean represent susan smith drive her car into a lake and her child drown . she get life in prison . what if the father have do it . the chair . you would be surprised how often the outcome would be different . the same be true here if it have be james have the affair and do the subsequent activity and viewer might feel differently about the story . if ann be in james place and it would be shatter . a it be and it tremendously sad . tom wilkinson be heartbreaking a a man blindside by the woman he adore and and emily watson do a beautiful job a ann and who and once she free herself from her lie her involvement in the accident and the happy marriage know what she have to do . rupert everett a bule be very effective indolent and uppity and ultimately in need . everyone here be very civilize in their dealing with one another and and no one be all good or all bad . there be separate lie jam that his marriage be happy and ann a list above and there be one unite lie the accident and about which all party keep quiet . it enough for ann that maggie know . in the end and all must deal with the separate lie that the single lie uncovered . brilliant film .