This is Joel Shumacher s best movie, I think and it is a good movie, although it has some flaws. For instance it shows its age being made in 1996. The fantastic cast and their performances makes up for a lot of these flaws. What really is striking, is that you could make this movie now, in 2023 and it would still be accurate of the situation in some parts of the USA. Think about that...

What really stuck out about this movie for me was [spoiler]the fact that _Jake didn’t cheat on his wife_.[/spoiler] [spoiler]The two were disconnected from each other. She was angry with him. She had left and taken their child with her. She wasn’t being supportive and didn't understand his choices at the time.[/spoiler] [spoiler]He didn’t use any of that as an excuse. He consistently did the right thing. He denied his interest and desire. He resisted the connection that he made with another woman, even while needing connection and while feeling abandoned by his wife.[/spoiler] **This totally rocked my world.** [spoiler]Because most often what happens in most films (and sadly in real life it seems) is that the character gives in. They give in and they cheat on their significant other, and more often than not, we're still expected to root for this person.[/spoiler] [spoiler]It’s like this unspoken assumption that we’re meant to carry on caring about their journey, because movie. It’s become such a formulaic standard to accept a “good” character who cheats. I think it’s horseshit. One can’t be a cheater _and_ a good person. A good person can make mistakes, certainly. I’m hard-pressed to call cheating a mistake though. It’s a conscious decision and an ultimate betrayal. Now, can a cheater change and become a good person? Probably. But that’s not what I’m on about.[/spoiler] [spoiler]It's so refreshing for a movie to bypass this norm and to instead showcase a realistic example of what it may look like to push down your own desires and respect the person you’ve committed to, even while not seeing eye to eye at the time.[/spoiler] Mad props to those involved in making this movie for going this route. [spoiler]If you love someone _so much_ then you can actively choose to love them enough to respect the level of monogamy they desire in a relationship with you. If you can’t, get the fuck out. Either find a compromise together or find someone else. I don’t care how much you love a person, you don’t deserve them if you refuse to respect them.[/spoiler]

Really enjoyed it. It's a bit slow in the middle but the stellar cast make it work. Don't know if I buy the ending but it doesn't ruin the film for me.

Great movie with very intestering plot and great acting from all watch this!