After the great success of "The Reader", another film adaptation based on a novel by Bernhard Schlink is now coming to our cinemas with "The Other". Based on a short story from the short story collection "Liebesfluchten", Richard Eyre ("Diary of a Scandal") has directed a quiet, haunting romantic drama that scores points primarily with its great actors.
After 25 years of marriage, Lisa (Laura Linney) is gone. And Peter (Liam Neeson) is left with only his memories. But when he discovers a very explicit email from another man on his wife's laptop, Peter is forced to fear that the woman he thought he knew like no other has been leading a double life. Against the advice of his daughter (Romola Garai), Peter sets out to find the other man (Antonio Banderas), which leads him straight to Milan. While playing chess together, Peter slowly gets to know his rival Ralph and with each move learns more about Lisa's secret life and their passionate affair - revelations that threaten to break Peter...
Unlike the literary original, "The Other" doesn't reveal to its viewers what Lisa's disappearance is all about until near the end. Even those who are not familiar with the short story can guess what the solution is after a while. Nevertheless, Richard Eyre's decision to make such a mystery out of the disappearance is definitely to be applauded for the structure of the movie. This is because it makes the characters and their motivations, and therefore the story, which is not really spectacular in itself, more exciting and interesting for the audience, which works very well as a good counterbalance to the very worn production.
But the very big strength of the film is the actors. Liam Neeson, as a man broken by the loss of the love of his life, carries the film almost single-handedly on his shoulders. The way he becomes more and more dogged in uncovering Lisa's affair so he doesn't have to deal with his real feelings is transported to the screen by Neeson in an almost stoic, but very moving way. Antonio Banderas is seemingly the exact opposite. But outwardly the fun-loving, self-confident bon vivant, Ralph is also - not least through his love for Lisa - a very different man than Peter initially believes. Banderas embodies these two sides more than convincingly.
"The Other" is an empathetic romantic drama that may seem a bit tiring or even boring to some viewers due to its somewhat sluggish staging. However, those who are willing to engage with the quiet pace and convoluted storytelling will be rewarded with great acting, enchanting imagery, and a very beautiful story. Highly recommended
Ein Artikel von Frankfurt-Tipp
