Separate Lies

This is a pretty average thriller about upper class people (the fact its co-written and directed by Julian Fellowes of 'Downtown Abbey' fame was a bit of a give away). I wasn't too bothered about the characters and didn't find the story too engaging, though I did think Emily Watson gave a good performance. At first I thought I'd guessed the outcome and felt clever but I'm not sure it's as simple as I'd assumed. I didn't feel entirely bothered to follow all sub plots

Separate Lies (British - 2005) It was 1:30 AM CDT and I could not sleep. So I did the worst possible thing, according to sleep experts and turned on the TV. After a brief search of on demand fare, I noticed the British film starring two actors whom I greatly admire: Tom Wilkinson and Emily Watson. My interest was also tweaked by the fact that this was Julian Fellowes directorial debut. He is a much lauded writer and actor, known best for Downton Abbey, Gosford Park and From Time to Time. James

Rather like an episode of Midsomer Murders, with more famous actors, where the detective sort of pops up once in a while, rather than doing his job properly. But touching in moments in that 'British upper-class people sure are adorable with their stiff upper lips and awkward expressions of emotions" sort of way.

The stuff of high drama is certainly present in abundance in the story, and with Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson and Rupert Everett at the head of the cast list, Fellowes has actors skilled enough to make quiet intense emotions into something compelling to watch. The end result is tragically drab, however. It's a shoulder shrug of a movie right down to its ending which seems to profess complete ambivalence about everything that's come before.

"It's a Choose Your Own Adventure as imagined by Jackie Collins." - Ed Gonzalez

enjoyed it for the always interesting performance of Tom Wilkinson.....

Pretty good performances and a very clean and solid screenplay.