i be a huge fan of both emily watson ( break the wave ) and tom wilkinson ( normal ) and be amuse to see them upstage by rupert everett ( dellamorte dellamore ) in this shockingly rather minor movie that have all the ingredient to be so much more . the too brief scene in which he portray a languid and infinitely entitle and worthless son of a rich lord be spot on and entertain . but for a love triangle there be remarkably little chemistry to speak of between anyone . the music be annoyingly movie of the week quality and and the voice over jarring and totally unnecessary . clearly the work of a first time director with a small budget who either lack or do not sufficiently heed good advice . too bad . i can appreciate how the people you kind of hate at the beginning be the one you kind of like at the end and and vice versa and so there be some sort of character arc and at least in term of perception . for example and watson character and while refreshingly honest to her husband about her feeling for another man and begin to grate on me near the end and particularly when she announce to her husband that she simply have absolutely no control over her action and and later when she simply declare that she would be move back into their marital flat and with no asking of permission and no apology offer . and i go from dislike wilkinson control freak or moral relativist character to sort of understand him and not really want him to change ( unlike his wife ) . this movie awkwardly morph from a whodunit to a love story or steel magnolia illness drama without sufficiently inform me of the fact and so i be leave distractedly guess what the next plot twist might be long after they have all be reveal ( be it the lord drive the car . the lord dog . ) . the scene where the lord visit wilkinson and relate how brave watson be and the best nurse any die boyfriend could ever ask for and florence nightingale incarnate and etc . be ok until he start over the top sobbing like a baby . good god . if you ask me she just another flitty rich person with way too much time on her hand and and so she drive her hard working and well provide spouse crazy with unnecessary drama . her screw around be just another way to occupy her empty life while the die guy thing be an added bonus for her a it somehow make her previous action completely above reproach . look and everyone would have be good off if wilkinson have just leave her for his secretary and who seem to appreciate him for who he be . instead he act like an abused dog and his open craving for his wife affection increase with every kick she give him . i be not anti pc or anything and it just do not ring true and even after take into account all of the harsh reality of middle age we all tend to face . the end for me be ( and not the director intention i be certain ) depressing . the movie spend the last 80 minute convince me that these two people just do not belong together and so i find no joy in the promise of their relationship continue . i be not above want my emotion manipulate by a story and it just have to be somewhat plausible and not hackneyed . be that ask too much . my score represent 4/10 .