IMDb RATING
6.4/10
4.3K
YOUR RATING
A couple's marriage is complicated by the introduction of a third party.A couple's marriage is complicated by the introduction of a third party.A couple's marriage is complicated by the introduction of a third party.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
4.3K
YOUR RATING
- Director
- Writers
- Nigel Balchin(based on the novel by "A Way Through the Wood")
- Julian Fellowes
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Nigel Balchin(based on the novel by "A Way Through the Wood")
- Julian Fellowes
- Stars
- Awards
- 1 win & 5 nominations
Videos2
Photos
Keith Bisset
- Dr. Morganas Dr. Morgan
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Nigel Balchin(based on the novel by "A Way Through the Wood")
- Julian Fellowes
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaLast full length cinema film of John Neville.
- GoofsWhen Anne and James met out in the rain for a last goodbye it was very obvious that the rain was manufactured. The rain came down mainly where they were standing and the WAY it came down was not realistic at all.
- Quotes
James Manning: Oh, fuck Bill!
Anne Manning: That's the thing really. I mean I do fuck Bill. Or rather he fucks me.
- ConnectionsFeatures Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (1998)
Top review
Excellent depiction of a relationship and its complexities
Another great Tom Wilkinson performance punctuates "Separate Lies," a 2005 film also starring Emily Watson, Linda Bassett and Rupert Everett. Directed by Julian Fellowes, it's the story of a married couple, James and Ann Manning where the husband (Wilkinson) believes he and his wife (Watson) are happy together. An accident near their house on the night they have a party brings the police around. It is a hit and run that killed their maid Maggie's (Bassett) husband. James becomes suspicious of a neighbor, Bill Bule (Everett) when he sees some damage on his car. He confronts Bule, who admits he did it and promises to go to the police the next day. When James arrives home, Ann is angry that he is making such a big deal out of it and states that she was driving the car.
Of course, James then isn't so eager to rush to the police. She suggests that they call Bule and tell him their decision. "Oh, f___ Bule," James says. "Well, that's just it," Ann says. "I am f___ing Bule."
James' devastation is just the beginning in this well-crafted drama. Without giving the plot away, this is a good example of how gender switching changes a story. Example of what I mean: Susan Smith drives her car into a lake and her children drown. She gets life in prison. What if the father had done it? The chair.
You'd be surprised how often the outcome would be different. The same is true here - if it had been James having the affair and doing the subsequent activities, viewers might feel differently about the story. If Ann were in James' place, it would be shattering. As it is, it's tremendously sad.
Tom Wilkinson is heartbreaking as a man blindsided by the woman he adores, and Emily Watson does a beautiful job as Ann, who, once she frees herself from her lies - her involvement in the accident and the happy marriage - knows what she has to do. Rupert Everett as Bule is very effective - indolent, uppity and ultimately in need. Everyone here is very civilized in their dealings with one another, and no one is all good or all bad.
There are separate lies - James that his marriage is happy, Ann's as listed above - and there is one uniting lie - the accident, about which all parties keep quiet. It's enough for Ann that Maggie knows. In the end, all must deal with the separate lies that the single lie uncovered.
Brilliant film.
Of course, James then isn't so eager to rush to the police. She suggests that they call Bule and tell him their decision. "Oh, f___ Bule," James says. "Well, that's just it," Ann says. "I am f___ing Bule."
James' devastation is just the beginning in this well-crafted drama. Without giving the plot away, this is a good example of how gender switching changes a story. Example of what I mean: Susan Smith drives her car into a lake and her children drown. She gets life in prison. What if the father had done it? The chair.
You'd be surprised how often the outcome would be different. The same is true here - if it had been James having the affair and doing the subsequent activities, viewers might feel differently about the story. If Ann were in James' place, it would be shattering. As it is, it's tremendously sad.
Tom Wilkinson is heartbreaking as a man blindsided by the woman he adores, and Emily Watson does a beautiful job as Ann, who, once she frees herself from her lies - her involvement in the accident and the happy marriage - knows what she has to do. Rupert Everett as Bule is very effective - indolent, uppity and ultimately in need. Everyone here is very civilized in their dealings with one another, and no one is all good or all bad.
There are separate lies - James that his marriage is happy, Ann's as listed above - and there is one uniting lie - the accident, about which all parties keep quiet. It's enough for Ann that Maggie knows. In the end, all must deal with the separate lies that the single lie uncovered.
Brilliant film.
helpful•40
- blanche-2
- Jul 7, 2008
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- A Way Through the Woods
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $924,260
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $22,341
- Sep 18, 2005
- Gross worldwide
- $3,452,023
- Runtime1 hour 25 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content

Recently viewed
Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.