INTIMATE RELATIONS
A Film Review by James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 6.0 Alternative Scale: **1/2 out of ****
Canada/UK, 1996
U.S. Release Date: 9/26/97 (limited)
Running Length: 1:45
MPAA Classification: R (Sexual situations, mature themes, violence,
profanity)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Julie Walters, Rupert Graves, Laura Sadler, Matthew Walker, Holly Aird, Les Dennis, Liz McKechnie Director: Philip Goodhew Producers: Angela Hart, Lisa Hope, John Slan Screenplay: Philip Goodhew Cinematography: Andres Garreton Music: Lawrence Shragge U.S. Distributor: Fox Searchlight
INTIMATE RELATIONS is the latest in a long line of films that claims to have been inspired by real events. This is one of those instances, however, when I could care less whether or not the movie is based on a true story -- the knowledge certainly doesn't add anything to the viewing experience. Nevertheless, for some reason, it seems important to first-time director Philip Goodhew that we recognize that at least the bare-bone facts of INTIMATE RELATIONS are culled from the historical record.
Of far more interest than the "based on a true story" aspect is the film's central theme about the inherent hypocrisy of a "morally upright" (or should that be "uptight") society. There has been and always will be a human preoccupation with sex. The only thing that changes with the years is how the culture deals with this basic concept. The 1950s, the era in which INTIMATE RELATIONS is set, was a time of sexual repression. Appearances meant everything, and people would go to extraordinary lengths to seem above moral reproach, even if the truth was much different.
Such is the case with Marjorie Beasley (Julie Walters), an aging wife and mother who is outwardly a model citizen. Inwardly, however, she is a haunted and lonely person who craves sexual satisfaction. Her husband's touch disgusts her, so she constantly rebuffs him, even going so far as to move into a separate bedroom. But, when a handsome young border, Harold Guppy (Rupert Graves), rents the Beasleys' spare bedroom, Marjorie goes on the prowl, insinuating herself into Harold's good graces, then seducing him. Their affair gets off to a rocky start, but the biggest problem isn't the two decades age difference -- it's that Marjorie's 13-year old daughter, Joyce (Laura Sadler), is fully aware of what's going on between her mother and the lodger, and she intends to use that knowledge to blackmail Harold.
It's possible to see INTIMATE RELATIONS as a dark comedy, but it's really more of an attack on the hypocritical attitudes that pervade society in every era. By choosing a story from '50s England, Goodhew distances us from events, but that doesn't mean that the issues he is addressing aren't as valid today as they were two generations ago. Our society may claim to be more liberal and permissive in the '90s, but sexual secrets are still the most closely guarded, and, if they get into the open, have the greatest potential to damage. Appearances still count for more than reality.
Plot-wise, INTIMATE RELATIONS is nothing special. The film is too long and too repetitive -- we get the point well before the final, inevitable act. In many ways, this movie seems to be trying to recapture the spirit and feel of Peter Jackson's courageous, original HEAVENLY CREATURES. Indeed, there are some similarities -- the slightly exaggerated fashion with which '50s families are depicted, the way that simple domestic discord grows into something that's increasingly more ominous, and the manner in which obsession is shown to short-circuit all rational thought. INTIMATE RELATIONS is a more pedestrian film, however. It lacks the artistry and the character depth that Jackson brought to his breakthrough feature.
Veteran actress Julie Walters (best known for her role in EDUCATING RITA) is wonderful as Marjorie. It's a little chilling how easily her character switches from the British version of June Cleaver (who would rather "be dead than brazen") to the pathetic, sex-starved woman who crawls her way into Howard's bed every night. Rupert Graves (THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE) is almost, but not quite, as good as the object of Marjorie's obsession. Howard sees himself as a victim, although, in fact, he shares equal responsibility for starting the affair. He just didn't expect to be trapped by a woman with a FATAL ATTRACTION. Newcomer Laura Sadler, who plays Marjorie's teenage daughter, brings an appealing mix of innocence, eroticism, and cunning to the most complex role in the film.
Ultimately, I appreciated the ideas in INTIMATE RELATIONS more than the presentation. Things feel a little too over-familiar at times, as if I've seen them before, and it isn't hard to guess how the story will end (consequently, it seems to take forever to get to that point). Also, from time-to-time, the characters are designed more as tools to be used in service of Goodhew's themes than as unique individuals. These elements conspire to weaken the film just enough that the mixture of drama, suspense, and dark comedy fails to gel properly. As a result, while INTIMATE RELATIONS makes an important statement, it does so in a forum that often feels clunky and awkward.
Copyright 1997 James Berardinelli
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@mail.cybernex.net
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- Jean-Luc Godard
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