>>REVIEW
I THINK I LOVE MY WIFE
STARRING Chris Rock, Kerry Washington, Gina Torres and Steve Buscemi
DIRECTED BY Chris Rock
Opens Friday, March 16
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I Think I Love My Wife is billed as a sophisticated comedy, but perhaps a better description would be a slightly comedic sophisticated drama. Chris Rock writes, directs and stars in this insightful look at infidelity, about a man torn between his sexless-but-loving relationship and a dangerous flirtation. A remake of the 1972 French classic Chloe in the Afternoon, Rock manages to put a contemporary twist on the story without losing any of its poignance.
That said, Rock’s film is still far from perfect, much of the humour is forced and out of place, at times fighting with the story instead of adding to it. One scene in particular involving Viagra and an ambulance is hilarious, but so completely out of place in the movie that you have to wonder if it was just left in for the trailers.
Rock, who is a better actor than many of the roles he takes, does an excellent job portraying a man struggling with inner turmoil. Other than a few scenes that belong in his stand-up act rather than in this film, Rock portrays Richard Cooper’s internal battle with a subtlety that few Saturday Night Live alumni are capable of.
Anyone who has seen Serenity will not be surprised that Gina Torres steals the show. As Richard’s loving-but-frigid wife she provides the necessary gravitas that takes the film from weak comedy to fairly solid drama.
Kerry Washington also does a decent job as the tempestuous Nikki. Though at times she seems a bit too pushy, needy and ugly on the inside to make Richard’s fascination with her believable, she manages to give Nikki just enough of a soul to make it work.
Unfortunately, Steve Buscemi is almost criminally underused. He plays George as a man who is both an unapologetic cheater and the closest thing that Richard has to an angel on his shoulder.
The largest problem that I Think I Love My Wife has, is that it is schizophrenic, Rock shows glimmers of great directing talent, but mixed in with scenes that would be more at home in CB-4. The race jokes in particular feel completely out of place. The film also drops a ton of mistimed F-bombs. Instead of adding the grit and realism that is intended, the language largely goes against the characters’ personalities, making it seem weirdly adolescent.
With its introspective look at relationships and social dynamics, I Think I Love My Wife may not be the laugh riot you were expecting, but it will be a better film than you had hoped. |
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