If Fabrication Films, the production company behind “Conversations With Other Women”, plays its cards right and joins forces with Fox Searchlight, the two studios could see some critic awards come December. For the one-two punch of Fabrication’s “Conversations With Other Women” and Fox Searchlights’ “Thank You For Smoking” spotlight the vibrant talents of Aaron Eckhart. Together, the two production companies could remind critics and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences that the multi-faceted actor has never been nominated for an Oscar, despite breakthrough performances in “Possession” and “In The Company of Men”. Of the two roles, lobbyist Nick Naylor from “Thank You For Smoking” deserves Eckhart’s nomination, but “Other Women” shows another facet of the actor’s talent and the two roles together could get him on stage eventually for awards. If he gets up there, he could (or SHOULD) be joining his co-star of “Other Women,” Helena Bonham Carter, who gives her acclaimed career’s most layered, bittersweet portrayal.
The story starts simply. An unnamed bridesmaid (Bonham Carter) flirts with an unidentified groomsman (Eckhart). What begins as a game becomes a complication of past loves and mistakes as they play within the folly of love; a sport in which they can’t possibly win.
Relative neophyte director Hans Canosa attempts experimentation with this complicated story, sadly diffusing the tension his stars so adeptly build. He splits the screen for the entire film, either showing his stars on either side, illustrating other angles of the same scenes, visualizing past relationships or giving audiences a glimpse of peripheral characters. At times, this technique can be illuminating, but for 80 minutes, it eventually becomes tedious and irrelevant. Canosa is definitely a director to watch, and he displays great skill, but the split screen would appear to hide a weak script or sloppy performances. Canosa has just the opposite with which to work and doesn’t need to enhance anything with a gimmick.
These directorial choices minimize the complex, witty script by Gabrielle Zevin. Novelist Zevin, the director’s partner of ten years, gives him a script filled with tears, humor, intelligence and an understanding of how our ghosts of relationships past haunt us, even when we should be happy with our current situations. It stands on its own and doesn’t require flimflam to bolster it. Since this is only their second film together (in 2002, they collaborated on the “Alma Mater”), once Canosa focuses on his story and not his techniques, their future collaborations could be quite worthwhile.
The team’s greatest coup is their casting of Bonham Cater and Eckhart. Both are alumni of famous players (Bonham Carter helms from the Merchant/Ivory school, while Eckhart has sharpened his fangs with talented playwright/filmmaker Neil LeBute), and bring to the screen the ability to conjure subtext within even the most innocuous dialogue. We can detect trouble way before being presented with the past, just through both actors’ interpretations of the lines. Bonham Carter portrays a woman, confused, frightened, excited and passionate. She has never appeared so radiant and sexy. Eckhart tones down his normally raw sexuality, letting his insecurities rise to the surface more than in any other role. This character is his least beguiling and his most honest, which shows us something we rarely see from his usually deliciously devious past roles.
An uneven film, “Conversations With Other Women” nonetheless contains rewarding performances and a provocative script. Come awards time, hopefully the words Helena Bonham Carter and Aaron Eckhart will be on everyone’s lips and ballots. Grade: B+
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