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A Perfect Man DVD Review

     Actors: Liev Schreiber, Jeanne Tripplehorn
  • Director Kees Van Oostrum
  • Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: Unrated
  • Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
  • DVD Release Date: January 28, 2014
  • Run Time: 94 minutes


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            Using adultery as the launching point for a romantic comedy is a bold move, and one that A Perfect Man takes a majority of its running time recovering from. Skipping over the ‘boy-meets-girl’ portion of the storyline, all of A Perfect Man focuses on the losing and winning back of that girl. There is a clever rom-com scenario which allows out flawed male protagonist to “meet” the girl, unaware that it is the same one that he already lost.

     

            After he is caught cheating on his wife for the last time, James (Liev Schreiber) finds himself alone to face his mistakes. Nina (Jeanne Tripplehorn) clearly still loves him, but cannot continue to allow her husband to repeatedly betray her trust. They are native New Yorkers living in Amsterdam, which makes their separation that much lonelier. In a desperate attempt to quell this loneliness without sacrificing her integrity, Nina calls her unfaithful husband under the guise of a flirtatious Dutch woman who has dialed the wrong number.

     

            The most difficult reconciliation of plot points comes from this situation, especially with the suspension of disbelief that James would not recognize the disguised voice of his wife. There is also a great deal put in the hands of Schreiber in his ability to make a man of despicable actions appear sympathetic and redeemable, and this task is made more difficult by the plot point which has him believing that he is flirting with a Dutch woman on the phone at the same time that he feels regret for his betrayal. Schreiber’s performance does the film service, though the plot takes its time showing his ability to grow and change.

     

            The special features include a trailer.

           

    Entertainment Value: 6/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6.5/10

    Historical Significance: 4/10

    Disc Features: 1/10

     

     

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