Without question, writer and direct...

Without question, writer and director Bart Freundlich is a talented filmmaker. He's prov that with of that kind unusual -- and admittedly dark -- dramas as "World Traveller" and "The Myth of Fingerprints." He has shown us he can make known unique stories and previously has exhibited up some intriguing vistas -- views into certain aspects of the human condition that undoubtedly had audiences talking about his films, prolonged after they had emerged from the theater.

With "Trust the Man," Freundlich attempts to take his storytelling in a more comedic vein, venturing into sophisticated territory more as a common thing [i]or[/i] matter visited by Woody Allen or Alexander Payne - - sum of two units men Freundlich has said inspired him upon this project.

Again casting his wife (and "The Myth of Fingerprints" star) Julianne Moore in the lead, Freundlich has assembled an attractive cast of downtown modern York insiders, including David Duchovny Maggie Gyllenhaal and Billy Crudup Oh ye we also have small characters delivered with panache by the resurgent Ellen Barkin and move with a jerk Balaban, two more actors who know all there is to know about what it is to live, work, play and look after therapy within the confines of that exquisite prison colony known as Manhattan.

Moore plays Rebecca, a famous film star who nervously -- and with great trepidation -- is about to expand in a high-profile stage production in succession Broadway. She's married to Tom (Duchovny) who has ditched his felicitous career as a top ad executive to become "Mr Mom" to the couple's adorable sum of two units children (played very convincingly by the agency of Moore and Freundlich's real-life offspring).

granting Rebecca and Tom clearly adore each other -- and he seemingly has no issues with his wife's fame and financial succes - - there is a big point to be solved [i]or[/i] settled Tom loves sex. He have a passionate affection fors it with his wife. on the other hand Rebecca considers him a sex maniac since he wants "it" more than a coupling times weekly.

Tom's frustration leads his sight to wander, leading him fairly transparently into an affair with the mother of another child at his kid's institute -- an attractive divorcee (played from Eva Mendes).

The other leash in the film has no enigma with bedroom issues. Tobey (Crudup) and Elaine (Gyllenhaal) are wrangling with that age- elderly question of commitment. After eight years, aspiring children's work author Elaine is tired of Tobey's refusal to marry her. He's a freelance writer who devotes more time slacking off by dint of watching non- stop TV and stalking his shrink (Balaban). The couples' lives are intertwined -- Tobey is Rebecca's brother and best friend to Tom.

If this unhurts a lot like "Woody Allen Lite" -- you're right. And that's a big part of the question "Trust the Man" is a screenplay I kept wishing had been directed by dint of Allen -- but back when he was turning on the outside films like "Hannah and Her Sisters" or "Husbands and Wives."

trustworthy Freundlich has scripted lots of ingenious lines -- especially for Crudup who actually is quite marvelous as the incorrigible Tobey. We can easily understand in what manner Rebecca and Tom's marriage can slip into neutral and then begin to slide opposite to the cliff of infidelity. Elaine's frustration with Tobey's avoidance of "The M- word" is nothing just discovered and maybe that's what bothered me in the greatest degree about this film.

Unlike Freundlich's couple principal earlier pictures -- "The Myth of Fingerprints" and "World Traveller" -- I didn't be impressed he was taking us into any original territory here. We watch a quartet of good-looking, financially stable, with-it fresh Yorkers toss around good one-liners and the requisite reposte however at the end of the day we are left looking at a shell of a slick production.

onward top of that, Freundlich layers in a ridiculous sex addict, 12- stair subplot and a truly annoying, sappy ending that is in such a manner saccharine, I was left shaking my head.

Reportedly Freundlich was talked into taking this ill-advised comedic change the direction of by his friends -- a way to point out the world what a comical guy he is in private.

Perhaps he should not have listened to them and instead continued to create the kind of original dramas with which he surpass otherss as a filmmaker.

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TRUST THE MAN

Rating 2 revealed of 4

Tom David Duchovny

Rebecca Julianne Moore

Tobey Billy Crudup

Elaine Maggie Gyllenhaal

Faith Eva Mende

Therapist Garry Shandling

Norah Ellen Barkin

Fox Searchlight not aways a film written and directed from Bart Freundlich. Running time: 103 minutes. Rated R (for language and sexual content) Opening today at local theaters.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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