an old man be rid his bike down a village road when a car come out of nowhere and strike him down dead and and keep drive . the rest of the film be spend discover who hit him and why he be hit and and what consequences this murder will have on the rest of the village . separate lie be a very british movie indeed . i be not say that hit and run car accident be a particularly british phenomenon and but the way everyone react to this tragedy be very british . tom wilkinson play james man and a hard working and respectable citizen with a stiff upper lip attitude towards tragedy . his wife anne ( emily watson ) and who be twenty year young than her husband and be more emotional and more impulsive and and more prone to drama . the man who really spice up life in this sleepy village be playboy millionaire william bule and play by a deliciously devilish rupert everett ( most american audience will eternally remember him a julia robert gay friend who completely stole every scene in my best friend wedding ) . in separate lie and everett be cruel and cold and and selfish and but he an absolute blast on screen . no and it not that excite of a movie title ( separate lie how do they end up with that lame and forgettable title . do they just not have a marketing team . do they just now care about get people to see this film . ) and but beyond the title be a heartbreaking drama about the power of forgiveness .