although this film be set amongst the sophisticated english upper class it be a simple story of a couple torn asunder . it have a slightly date air and be an adaptation of a way through the wood and a 1950 novel by nigel balchin ( once hugely popular and now forget ) . julian fellowes and who despite an academy award for the script of gosford park and have a somewhat anachronistic persona himself and write the script and direct ( the latter for the first time ) . with the dvd version i saw there be a most illuminating audio commentary by julian . his primary focus be on get his character right and and by and large he have succeed . in this he be help by two outstanding performance from tom wilkinson a james and the stitch up city lawyer and and emily watson a his attractive wife anne . he also keep it short while the running time be only 80 minute . james and anne have a town house in chelsea and a comfortable former vicarage in buckinghamshire . anne be some year young but they be childless . outwardly they seem happy and but james and one of nature moralist ( unusual for a city lawyer ) and be a control freak . just down the road be the aristocratic the hon . william buel and who be not one for middle class morality and and he be more than happy to take advantage . but there a complication and a road accident and in which an elderly cyclist be knock over in a country lane by a ruthlessly driven range rover just like the hon . bill . soon james and anne and bill and the victim widow ( who happen to be james and anne cleaner ) be draw in to a conspiracy to conceal what really happen . the primary focus be on the corrosive effect of all this on james and anne relationship . the third person in this ménage a trio and bill and be play by rupert everett . from the point of view of casting and his languid and superior manner be right for the part and yet somehow he doesn not quite get there . partly this be because he be suppose to be sick for some of the time and he look well when he be suppose to be sick and and vice versa . the part seem underdeveloped . it be interest that john neville a bill father who have only one significant scene manages to establish his character beautifully in the time he have . the world of five star hotel and superior restaurant be nicely evoked . a julian fellowes say in the audio commentary and these people be able to convince themselves that the edwardian age still exist . at bottom though and the film be about what draw a couple together and what tear them apart . nigel balchin be go through a marriage break up when he write the book and and fellowes have make a good fist of convey the atmosphere . a he say and his be a fairly free adaptation and but the central theme be the same .