The acting in this movie is really good.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Affairs of the "Heart", or more Precisely the Libido have a way of Biting You in the Ass. Like a Friend of Diane Lane's "Connie' says at Lunch, "Affairs never end well, there always a disaster".This is the Kind of Stuff (Smoldering, Sexy, Artsy, and Suspenseful) that Director Adrian Lyne is known. Comparisons to "Fatal Attraction" (1992) and "9 1/2 Weeks" (1986) are Expected.But "Unfaithful" stands on its own because, well because this Type of Thing Taps into a "Basic Instinct" that is One of the "Seven Deadly Sins" (Lust). It's part of the Human Condition and We're Hard Wired with it, Like it or Not, so Everyone can Relate in One Form or Another.The Director's Flourishes Help make this a "Pleasant" Watch with the Camera Making Love to the Images. Richard Gere and the rest of the Cast all Contribute to the Downbeat Tone. The Ending is Ambiguous and that's OK, often times Life is Ambiguous. Should more than Please its Target Audience. Some Sexy Stuff is in Full View, so Prudes and the Easily Embarrassed might want to Pass. But for those Willing to take the Ride, the Movie is as Well Crafted and Good Looking as Diane Lane's Performance and Down Home Beauty.

I thought Diane Lane looked absolutely sexy at playing as a middle aged mum. The sex scene's were really beautiful and romantic like I say anyone could agree with me on this? Also Olivier Martinez looked very handsome too, I say a lot of young girls back in 2002 definitely wanted him badly after watching this film cause I suppose he was good looking then haha! This is only my guess now, I'm not really into him. I actually was really sad that his character got killed and they didn't put Richard Gere's character into jail in the end. That was kinda disappointing for me since this is a 2 hour film at the end of the day! That's why I wouldn't give this an Oscar. They should instead just have a few nominations and then, it would make this totally reasonable! The actors were good but I wouldn't go mental with the storyline to be honest....

There are times when this film draws too much attention to itself with lingering shots and unnecessary camera angles. The wind blowing at the beginning is all a bit too unreal. Diane Lane is a good actress and very attractive. She abandons herself in the part and you really believe her performance. But why would she fall for this French guy? Was she not happy in her marriage? Does she have an addictive personality? I lost sympathy for her character, but that doesn't take anything away from her performance.The pacing of the film is quite slow and felt more like a television movie rather than something cinematic. I believed Richard Gere's performance when he confronts the French guy, initially holding it together, and then falling sick when he sees the gift he gave to his wife giving to the French guy as a gift. If you've ever given someone you love something, or said something intimate to them, and then heard it repeated by third parties who know all about your business, you can relate to how Gere feels at this moment. The twist of him killing the French guy is cinematic with the blood pouring down from this head.I think more should have been made of the police investigation where Lane eventually realises that Gere knows about her affair and that he is responsible for the death of the French man. This is the point when the film became interesting, but it was too near the end for it to develop. The first part of Act 2 should be contracted, whereas the last part of Act 2 should be expanded. The problem with the film is the structure of the script, not the performances.

Connie (Diane Lane) and Ed Sumner (Richard Gere) are a suburban married couple with a kid Charlie (Erik Per Sullivan). Nothing terrible has happened but their marriage shows signs of wear. Then the winds of change starts to blow literally, and she collides with Paul Martel (Olivier Martinez) in the city. He helps her out with her skinned knee. She just can't keep him out of her mind and calls him up. She keeps returning to him and finally submits to his charms. However Ed starts putting it all together.Diane Lane makes cheating classy. This movie may not work with somebody else. Never has a woman thinking about sex look so great. The story is basically a romance novel. One thing director Adrian Lyne knows about is how to class up some sexual ugliness. The use of classical piano almost makes the audience root for the cheaters. I am less certain about the on-the-nose Olivier Martinez, but the appealing Diane Lane makes up for any deficiencies.