THE LOVERS
* * ½
(Middle age affairs)
“The Lovers” starts off with an interesting premise: a middle-aged couple, married a long time with a son that has left the nest, each have affairs the other is unaware of.
The movie plods along as the two characters (Debra Winger and Tracey Letts) live mundane lives together and sneak off to have sex with their lovers, making ridiculous excuses. They are both so tied up in their own affairs that they don’t realize each other’s deceptions.
Their son is coming home to introduce his girlfriend to his parents. Will this be a good time for both of them to confess their indiscretions?
Ironically, the affairs have an unusual effect on Michael and Mary and they rekindle their long lost flame, eventually ending in a rather unusual turn of events. The premise gets lost in the snail’s pace telling of the story. Both Winger and Melora Walters, who plays Michael’s hot dancer/secret lover, are attractive middle-aged women. Michael is a bald, paunchy, dullard who doesn’t fit the image of a man who would be passionately attracted to two sexy women. Ho-hum. Rated R, with sex and profanity.