Emilia, a woman whose life has turned into a sad existence, is grieving for the death of her four day old daughter, something that she blames herself for, in the way it happened. Unfortunately, she has other things to contend with because the way her life with her husband Jack has lost its spark. To make matters worse, Emilia has to deal with William, a step- son that shows all signs of suffering because of the way his parents' divorce had its effect on him.
Jack, an attorney, met and fell in love with Emilia, a young lawyer that started working at his firm. His marriage to the bitchy Carolyn, a prominent, and busy, pediatrician, was something that was a time bomb. Not having custody of William, he must put up with her mercurial former wife who is bent in making life impossible to his new woman. Carolyn's venom has filtered to her son in the way he perceives the interloper now living with his father.
As the relationship between Jack and Emilia deteriorates, there seems to be little each one can do to make things work between them and save their marriage. When we finally get to learn the details surrounding the infant's death, it is Carolyn, who actually gets the courage to face the woman that supposedly wrecked her marriage to reassure Emilia she was not at fault.
Don Roos directed and wrote the screenplay based on a novel by Ayelet Waldman. The film could have used a light touch as Emilia, an unhappy woman, is in such a deep funk that she casts such a down atmosphere into the film. This young woman gets much more than what she bargain for in being at the center of what might have been an ugly divorce. That, in itself, did not augur a happy life, let alone the tragedy that she had to deal with.
Natalie Portman's Emily is not one of her best creations, however much she tries, although she does an outstanding job to make us care for the woman she is playing. Scott Cohen's Jack is an enigma because the way he has to deal with his present situation and his son. Charlie Tahan, the young actor playing William is about the best thing in the film. He shows a sensitivity and understanding for what the boy is going through. Lisa Kudrow's Marilyn comes across as a caricature of the woman she is playing. Others seen in the film, Debra Monk, Michael Christopher, Lauren Ambrose, among others, in supporting roles.
Jack, an attorney, met and fell in love with Emilia, a young lawyer that started working at his firm. His marriage to the bitchy Carolyn, a prominent, and busy, pediatrician, was something that was a time bomb. Not having custody of William, he must put up with her mercurial former wife who is bent in making life impossible to his new woman. Carolyn's venom has filtered to her son in the way he perceives the interloper now living with his father.
As the relationship between Jack and Emilia deteriorates, there seems to be little each one can do to make things work between them and save their marriage. When we finally get to learn the details surrounding the infant's death, it is Carolyn, who actually gets the courage to face the woman that supposedly wrecked her marriage to reassure Emilia she was not at fault.
Don Roos directed and wrote the screenplay based on a novel by Ayelet Waldman. The film could have used a light touch as Emilia, an unhappy woman, is in such a deep funk that she casts such a down atmosphere into the film. This young woman gets much more than what she bargain for in being at the center of what might have been an ugly divorce. That, in itself, did not augur a happy life, let alone the tragedy that she had to deal with.
Natalie Portman's Emily is not one of her best creations, however much she tries, although she does an outstanding job to make us care for the woman she is playing. Scott Cohen's Jack is an enigma because the way he has to deal with his present situation and his son. Charlie Tahan, the young actor playing William is about the best thing in the film. He shows a sensitivity and understanding for what the boy is going through. Lisa Kudrow's Marilyn comes across as a caricature of the woman she is playing. Others seen in the film, Debra Monk, Michael Christopher, Lauren Ambrose, among others, in supporting roles.