First Hit: A somewhat well intentioned comedic/dramatic story which mostly fizzles because of the director and actors failed to find the heart of the story.
Timothy Hutton plays Ian who returns to his summer retreat home from a business trip with plans to tell his wife Louise (played by Meg Ryan) that he is finished with their relationship and wants a divorce. He has invited his new lover over to the house for a quick tryst because he believes Louise won’t be arriving until the following day. However, Louise is already there and when Ian sees her he’s surprised and also decides to tell her about his decision. Louise hits him on the head knocking him out and when he awakes he’s tied, with duct tape, to a chair. She explains that what will happen is that Ian will change his mind and decide to not divorce her and when this happens she’ll untie him. However, he breaks loose but she knocks him out again and again ties him with duct tape, but to the toilet. While he is contimplating his fate, Louise goes out and returns only to find a thief in their home. The thief ties her up as well. Now they are both in the bathroom tied up. But somewhere between the moments the thief ties up Louise and Ian’s new girlfriend Sara (played by Kristen Bell) arrives for the second time, the audience figures out the plot and the problem with the film. The ending is now telegraphed. My sense is that the writing was good but the interpretation is where this film falls apart. The director didn't see the hole that was being dug and the actors fell into the hole as well. There just was't enough clarity as to when to expose more of the story and when to give it some grist.
I generally like Ryan and she has done some good dramatic stuff (In the Cut) and light hearted stuff (You’ve Got Mail). Here she seems lost as to what direction to take the character. Hutton has had an extensive career but, for me, has never stood out as a powerful actor. It is the same in this film. Cheryl Hines, the director, was a friend of the late Adrienne Shelly (writer of this film) and certainly didn’t have enough experience to bring the best out of this story.
Overall: It is a reasonable video rental type film.