year ago when i first read john irving the world accord to garp and i be astound that most of the young adult with whom i have contact do not like the book when i love it . i begin to understand that it be an age and experience thing . i experience somewhat of a déjà vu when read some of the comment on this site that be clearly write by young viewer . fully enjoy separate lie be surely an age and experience thing . in this film the viewer see a seemingly happy upper middle class couple he a successful lawyer she the perfect wife of a successful lawyer . they have a townhouse in london and a home in the country . all well until there enter the villain in the guise of the son of the rich man in the village . this guy appear to be a cad from the word and go . he be disdainful of everyone and everything include his own child . in the traditional form of nice guy finish last and the lawyer wife engage in an affair with the bounder . you see the lawyer really be a nice guy but with the marriage kill trait of an organize perfectionist . even though he truly love her and he be bore his wife to death . the bad boy be far more exciting . all of this be entangle with the hit and run death of a man in the village in which all the fact point to the cad be the driver of the vehicle . it easy to determine that this movie doesn not build to a happy end and however and it do lead to a very satisfying end in that the man and his wife learn and grow from their experience and probably will be able to conduct their personal life in a more successful manner . three excellent actor play the main character in this film and and it be there performance that make the whole thing a pleasure to watch . tom wilkinson be perfect a the husband . his portrayal show u a kind man who have so much control over his emotion that he have lose touch with the world . emily watson show u a woman who have become so trapped in the role of perfect wife that she have almost lose her knowledge of passion . that passion be reborn by the character deftly play by rupert everett . if you have reach that point in life in which you understand that everyone have foot of clay and that everyone even with the gift of intelligence and opportunity make many many wrong decision and then you will probably enjoy watch these excellent actor create the life of three such people . this be a beautifully act and direct adult film about realistic adult .