SPOILERS THROUGH:
I've seen this movie a couple of times and have to admit I moderately enjoyed it even though it's got a lot of flaws. I think the all around premise is intriguing enough and the cast is great but somehow the movie loses it's way and doesn't make the impact it could, though it always stays watchable.
The movie had several really good ways it could have gone. It could have kept away from the whole thriller thing and just been a relationship movie, concentrating on the couple swapping issue. It could have also gone in the Noir direction but as a halfway believable one. The problem with this movie is there are to many plot holes to count AND it plays sometimes like a horror film with all the try to scare tactics, numerous plot holes, and it just becomes to out there. It's disappointing because the central premise is really interesting.
The cast is good with Spacey stealing the film and being the standout. But ultimately the movie is disappointing because it starts out so interesting, with such a strong hook, that it ultimately becomes a bit of a letdown just when it reaches the pinnacle of being at it's most interesting.
The focus shifts from the multiple relationships of the characters, and becomes just another thriller with plot twists and plot holes that make no sense. There's a point when one thinks they can actually start counting the plot holes because there are so many of them. I'm not saying the twists(or some of them) aren't clever, but things needed to actually make some sense to make this movie go beyond entertaining which it is, into being a really good movie and that never happens.
I could go into some of the plot holes but that would make this review way to long. I will use one example though and that's when a certain woman is supposedly murdered. Then a man is arrested for the murder. He begins to suspect she wasn't killed and eventually finds out she's alive, a "lookalike" is killed. He goes to see this woman. They speak. Then she really IS killed. The same man is suspected of the second murder. But how come the police don't express any surprise that the second murder is the murder of someone who is supposed to be have already been murdered way earlier? Wouldn't the police react to that? Especially because the first woman who was murdered was identified by her own husband? Is this making sense to anyone? That's my Point. It still doesn't make sense to me. I actually did kind of like this movie. After all, I've seen it more then once. But I couldn't help being disappointed overall. I would rather have watched a movie about the four characters and how they interact rather then just another thriller. Consenting Adults is absorbing though, keeps one watching, has a great cast and can even be watched more then once without losing the element of intrigue. Spacey and the rest of the cast in general elevate this and the writing, with all it's implausibilities, is clever. Ultimately my vote is 6.5 and if one likes psychological thrillers and doesn't mind implausibility, this is your movie! 6.5 out of 10.
I've seen this movie a couple of times and have to admit I moderately enjoyed it even though it's got a lot of flaws. I think the all around premise is intriguing enough and the cast is great but somehow the movie loses it's way and doesn't make the impact it could, though it always stays watchable.
The movie had several really good ways it could have gone. It could have kept away from the whole thriller thing and just been a relationship movie, concentrating on the couple swapping issue. It could have also gone in the Noir direction but as a halfway believable one. The problem with this movie is there are to many plot holes to count AND it plays sometimes like a horror film with all the try to scare tactics, numerous plot holes, and it just becomes to out there. It's disappointing because the central premise is really interesting.
The cast is good with Spacey stealing the film and being the standout. But ultimately the movie is disappointing because it starts out so interesting, with such a strong hook, that it ultimately becomes a bit of a letdown just when it reaches the pinnacle of being at it's most interesting.
The focus shifts from the multiple relationships of the characters, and becomes just another thriller with plot twists and plot holes that make no sense. There's a point when one thinks they can actually start counting the plot holes because there are so many of them. I'm not saying the twists(or some of them) aren't clever, but things needed to actually make some sense to make this movie go beyond entertaining which it is, into being a really good movie and that never happens.
I could go into some of the plot holes but that would make this review way to long. I will use one example though and that's when a certain woman is supposedly murdered. Then a man is arrested for the murder. He begins to suspect she wasn't killed and eventually finds out she's alive, a "lookalike" is killed. He goes to see this woman. They speak. Then she really IS killed. The same man is suspected of the second murder. But how come the police don't express any surprise that the second murder is the murder of someone who is supposed to be have already been murdered way earlier? Wouldn't the police react to that? Especially because the first woman who was murdered was identified by her own husband? Is this making sense to anyone? That's my Point. It still doesn't make sense to me. I actually did kind of like this movie. After all, I've seen it more then once. But I couldn't help being disappointed overall. I would rather have watched a movie about the four characters and how they interact rather then just another thriller. Consenting Adults is absorbing though, keeps one watching, has a great cast and can even be watched more then once without losing the element of intrigue. Spacey and the rest of the cast in general elevate this and the writing, with all it's implausibilities, is clever. Ultimately my vote is 6.5 and if one likes psychological thrillers and doesn't mind implausibility, this is your movie! 6.5 out of 10.