Based on Nigel Balchin's book "A Way Through The Woods", the movie is a romantic drama of love and deception, a tale of secrets and lies.

James Manning, played by Tom Wilkinson, is a London based high powered international lawyer. He has strong principles and he is a righteous man. He has a perfect life and a beautiful wife Anne (Emily Watson). Mannings
have luxuries of an upper middle class family, like a decent country home and a place in London, but the stay-at-home wife Anne is bored to death.

Everything went well and good with the Mannings until the fatal hit and run accident of the husband of their cleaning lady Maggie (Linda Bassett). The accident occurred on the road near their house and after seeing the dent on the car of their neighbour Bill Blue (Rupert Everett), James suspected that Bill had caused the accident. Bill on his part is the son of a rich man and a troublemaker as well as a playboy.

James talk to Bill over lunch time. Under the influence of some drinks Bill admits that he was the driver of the car that caused the accident. James advised him to report the facts to the police. But when James reached home 
and discussed the matters with his wife Anne, he was shocked by her confession that she was the driver of the car and Bill is her lover with whom she is having a sexual relationship.

Now James is in a great dilemma. He wants the truth to be out and the culprit to be punished at the same time he wants to protect his wife Anne. On Anne's part, she admits that she is more comfortable with Bill and loves to be in bed with him just because he is easy to deal with. James takes Anne on a vacation hoping things will change and their relationship will get back to normal, but Anne being so adamant, nothing changed. James let Anne continue her love affair with Bill, hoping that one day she will repent and come back to him. Find out more about this romantic love 
triangle.

The skillful directorial debut of Oscar winner screenplay writer, Julian Fellowes, presents a romantic tale of love, betrayal and forgiveness. His way of storytelling is precise and graceful. He masterfully deals with the modern day moral issues of extramarital affair and a hit and run murder. He portrays James as a righteous man and at the same time try to justify Anne's love affair just for the sake of her sexual fulfillment. He doesn't portray Anne as an evil person instead he tries to make the audience to be sympathetic with her. The cinematography is excellent with lovely shots of London and Paris.

Tom Wilkinson as James presents an Oscar worthy performance. As a righteous man he is proud, pompous and he stands for justice. But he is forced to give up his stands for the love of his wife. Emily Watson as Annie puts up an incredible performance. She is graceful but as an unhappy wife she justifies her need for a sexual affair with a younger person. Rupert Everett as Bill is naughty and selfish. The threesome successfully weaves a tangled cobweb of love, lies, secrets and deception.

The movie presents a lot of moral issues as well as it has bad language, explicit sex and an adult theme. As a modern day story it is a great entertainer with good actors, good director and good cinematography.

We rate this movie GOOD.