Alan J. Pakula directed Consenting Adults, a crime-thriller, starring Kevin Kline, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Kevin Spacey and Rebecca Miller.
Grade: C+ (1*1/2* out of *****)
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Theatrical release poster
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The film’s tagline is: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.”
Composer Richard Parker and his wife Priscilla live an ordinary suburban life–that is, until they meet their new neighbors Eddy and Kay Otis.
The two couples became friends. Kay’s talent for blues singing gets Richard’s attention, while Eddy is attracted to Priscilla. It becomes clear that Eddy is a scam artist when he fakes a neck injury after auto accident for the insurance proceeds (he offers the money to the Parkers as a gift).
Eddy chastises Richard for not living dangerously, and suggests they swap mates for an evening.
The plot takes a nasty turn when Richard sleeps with Kay, and she turns up dead the next morning, bludgeoned to death by baseball bat.
it is revealed that Eddy spent the night elsewhere in order to establish an alibi. Richard’s semen is found in her body, and his fingerprints are on the bat (the couples played friendly game of softball earlier), so he’s charged with the crime.
Priscilla disowns and divorces Richard due to his infidelity, and Eddy becomes Priscilla’s lover and substitute father to Richard’s daughter, Lori.
A distraught Richard finally finds hope when he hears Kay singing in a radio talent show and realizes she’s alive. With the help of private investigator David Duttonville, hired by the insurance company, Richard tracks her down and learns the truth of how he was betrayed.
Kay is guilt-ridden over her part in it, but terrified by Eddy’s threat to implicate her if she testifies. Eddy, anticipating Richard’s intent, murders Kay and slips away. Implicated in a second murder, Richard flees the scene as police arrive.
Priscilla discovers a plane ticket Eddy had used on the night of the second murder. Richard performs a commando-style raid on Eddy’s house, but Eddy reveals to Priscilla his plan to murder her and shoot Richard as homicidal intruder.
Working together, Richard and Priscilla kill Eddy using the original murder weapon, the baseball bat.
In the end, Richard and Priscilla are moving into a secluded house with no neighbors visible for miles.
Upon release, the movie met with mixed to negative response, with critics complaining that the film was not only depressing but also mean-spirited.
Lacking plausibility (even for a movie), the tale suggests that the femme committed adultery, without her realizing that he is not her husband??).
The movie was a commercial failure.
Cast
Kevin Kline as Richard Parker
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Priscilla Parker
Kevin Spacey as Eddy Otis
Rebecca Miller as Kay Otis
Forest Whitaker as David Duttonville
E. G. Marshall as George Gutton
Kimberly McCullough as Lori Parker
Billie Neal as Annie Duttonville
Benjamin Hendrickson as Jimmy Schwartz
Credits:
Directed by Alan J. Pakula
Written by Matthew Chapman
Produced by Alan J. Pakula, David Permut
Cinematography Stephen Goldblatt
Edited by Sam O’Steen
Music by Michael Small
Production: Hollywood Pictures, Touchwood Pacific Partners
Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date: October 16, 1992
Running time: 95 minutes
Budget: $18 million
Box office: $21.6 million
