Sick of explosions and car chases? I am. The Other Man is a surprisingly atmospheric and complex story about a grieving man (played intensely by Liam Neeson) who discovers his wife has had an affair. Obsessed with discovering the identity of the other man (played excellently by Antonio Banderas in a very different sort of role) he tracks him down and befriends him without revealing his identity. The scenes where the two men pay chess, and the dialog over the board are revealing, and the torment subtly played by Neeson, is masterful. Banderas and Neeson are superb in this movie, which is both a mystery and a psychological thriller, all filmed with exquisite attention to light and atmosphere in Italy and England. If you rent it, I highly recommend you watch it a second time with the director's commentary turned on—but not the first time; it gives too much away. You may want to watch it a third time.
Review of The Other Man
