Directed by: Liv Ullman

Rated R for sexual content, nudity and language.

Writer Ingmar Bergman adds a semi-autobiographical touch to "Faithless", a harrowing look into the repercussions of adultery. The film opens with an old man befittingly named Bergman who is in deep thought and reflection, and he seems to be in the process of writing something. Suddenly, a woman appears in the room assuming the identity of Marianne. Whether she is real, a nostalgic memory or a figment of his imagination, we are not sure at this point. Marianne (played by Lena Endre) begins to tell a tale of her adulterous affair with her husband's best friend David. Mariann'e husband Markus is a renowned composer and is always abroad for concert engagements, leaving Marianne and their daughter by themselves. Eventually, Marianne and David begin an illicit affair, and their world crashes when Markus finds out.

There have been a lot of movies done about adultery, and "Faithless" exposes nothing new. Nevertheless, this film has a tight grasp on the subject for it shows the effects of an affair from all angles. "Faithless" is a well-developed movie with lots of emotion. On top of this, Lena Endre gives the year's first Oscar worthy performance as Marianne. In many scenes, she tells her story to Bergman and the camera is focused on her face. We don't even need to see a flashback since her expression is more than enough to tell us what it is all about.

Although a bit slow in the first half, "Faithless" is a good and an emotional film. By the way, the movie is in Swedish subtitiles.

Mazzyboi

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