Unfaithful (2002): A Thought-Provoking Movie Overview

Unfaithful is an American Thriller Movie that was released in 2002. The film, which has explicit erotic scenes, enjoyed massive success in the United States and beyond. The film was directed by Adrian Lyne and starred prolific actors Richard Gere, Diane Lane, and Olivier Martinez who are the main characters in the plot of the film. The story reflects on the temptation of infidelity and the possible inimical effects it can have on an entire family. This overview highlights the striking parts of this movie and the take-home lesson for every married couple.

The Summary

A young family, Edward (Richard Gere) and Connie Sumner (Diane Lane), were happily married until Connie met Paul (Olivier Martinez) by accident. One thing led to another, and a purely erotic relationship stated between Connie and Paul. Edward became suspicious and hired an investigator who blew the whole messy affair open just before Connie broke up with Paul. Edward decided to visit Paul for a conversation. During the visit, Edward passed through trauma when he realized that his wife had given Paul a gift he bought for her. In the state of mental confusion, he smashed the crystal on Paul’s head, killing him instantly. The husband and wife tried unsuccessfully to keep their dirty secrets from each other but were able to unite to avoid prosecution for the death of Paul.

The Lore of Infidelity

The case of Connie is typical to married couples today. After tying the knot with someone you genuinely love, you meet someone hot and developed a crush. What many people would consider a fling can end up becoming a passionate relationship, just the way Connie developed a real passion for Paul. If not, why would she give him a gift she received from her husband?

Unfaithful reveals the consequence of infidelity. Cheating on a spouse goes way beyond hurting your self and the values you believe. It leads to hurting your life partner, especially someone like Edwards, that has implicit trust in his spouse. In worse scenarios, other people can get injured, just like Edward ended up killing Paul, inadvertently. Although this story has an amicable ending, it's not a reflection of most real-life scenarios. The damage of infidelity in marriage hardly gets resolved quickly the way it played out in Unfaithful. All the same, the story reflects the lure of adultery and its possible aftermath.

Should You Trust Your Spouse Completely?

Edward's traumatic experience results from a devastating disappointment because he had absolute trust in his wife. This brings us to the question: “How much trust should you have in your spouse?” While it is good to have a measure of trust in a spouse, one must embrace reality: your spouse is human and can make mistakes. There are real-life situations where a spouse ended up in a psychiatric hospital due to such disappointments. Having an open mind can be helpful in such scenarios.

Unfaithful is an excellent story that reflects the happenings in real-life scenarios, the acting and cinematography are superb. The film deserves all the accolades it received.