Miles' Rating:

Starring: This early Paul Thomas production shows ample evidence of what was to come. Hyapatia Lee is married to wealthy Robert Bullock who has a sexual hang-up: he can't get off unless his wife tells him stories about her and other guys. This makes their marriage rocky, especially with Hyapatia preferring monogamy. The solid cast includes Sharon Kane, as Lee's girlfriend, Tom Byron, Cheri Taylor, and Jon Dough.

Even with a small budget Thomas could squeeze real emotion from his characters. There's not a false note anywhere.

The film deals with real issues in a lighthearted way, and that turns up the burners. The girl-girl between Lee and Sharon Kane sets off warm sparks. Both are reliable, underrated performers who in this scene make you believe they are intimate pals.

But the best scenes are the teasers. Ron Datsun humps wife Cheri Taylor in front of Bullock after leading Bullock to believe he had a chance with Taylor. The sequence has a crotch-tightening voyeuristic appeal. Later, Bullock watches hsi wife with swingers Jon Dough and Jacqueline O'Dell. That only complicates their relationship.

Near the end, the film spirals toward a downbeat, though realistic, ending that many may not like no matter how fitting it is.

A 9. A rock solid early effort by Director Paul Thomas.

Posted By Miles, www.excaliburfilms.com | 10/12/06 1:58 PM