Jane Campion the director of this film seems to be telling this story from a woman's point of view. In her take of Susanna Moore's novel, Ms. Campion's emphasis is about the state of mind of Frannie. The impression one gets is that the director is more interested in how the sordid surroundings where Fran lives, in a seedy section of Manhattan, plays in the story.
We are giving a clue at the beginning of the film when Fran witnesses a very erotic scene in the basement of the bar she has gone with one of her students. She cannot get it out of her erotic mind. In fact that scene is a key to the character of this sexually repressed woman. It also brings a new dimension to films in which this aspect is only allowed to men to have erotic fantasies, but at no time can a woman be permitted the same.
The crime that is being investigated at the beginning comes to haunt Frannie, played by Meg Ryan. She meets the detectives working the case and falls for Malloy with such abandon that it comes as no surprise. Meg Ryan shows she can play this woman. Her scenes with Mark Ruffalo are very explicit. Luckily, Jennifer Jason Leigh doesn't have much to do. Her Pauline is not a very vivid character in the film version; one wonders if these two are really sisters.
After all is said and done, had it not been for the involvement of Ms Campion this film would have been given a different treatment. It is to her credit that it has stayed true to the original text.
We are giving a clue at the beginning of the film when Fran witnesses a very erotic scene in the basement of the bar she has gone with one of her students. She cannot get it out of her erotic mind. In fact that scene is a key to the character of this sexually repressed woman. It also brings a new dimension to films in which this aspect is only allowed to men to have erotic fantasies, but at no time can a woman be permitted the same.
The crime that is being investigated at the beginning comes to haunt Frannie, played by Meg Ryan. She meets the detectives working the case and falls for Malloy with such abandon that it comes as no surprise. Meg Ryan shows she can play this woman. Her scenes with Mark Ruffalo are very explicit. Luckily, Jennifer Jason Leigh doesn't have much to do. Her Pauline is not a very vivid character in the film version; one wonders if these two are really sisters.
After all is said and done, had it not been for the involvement of Ms Campion this film would have been given a different treatment. It is to her credit that it has stayed true to the original text.