Sleeping with the Enemy (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Sleeping with the Enemy' is director Joseph Ruben's lurid domestic abuse thriller from 1991 which solidified Julia Roberts as an enormous box office star. It may be trashy - with characters that don't reach the depths of the soul that some may require - but my goodness, is it an entertaining, wholly involving spine-chiller. Laura (Roberts) & Martin Burney (Patrick Bergin) 'appear' to have it all; youth, $$, a fancy beach house, and a passionate marriage of 4 years -- well, "passionate" on his end; too passionate. Martin's passion manifests itself in a need for complete control & order, which results in brutal violence against Laura when she makes any missteps. His violence is typically followed by a slithery act of controlled forgiveness.
One fateful evening, Laura, who can't swim, "drowns" during a sailing mishap. The accident, however, was really a pre-meditated escape plan by Laura {who'd been taking swimming lessons} and still alive. Traveling far, far away from Cape Cod to the quaint town of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Laura embarks on a new life and, with a new name ... Sarah Waters. Now in Cedar Falls, she'd also be closer to her blind, wheelchair-bound, nursing home-residing mother, who Martin believes is deceased. Though apprehensive at first, Laura starts dating amiable Ben Woodward (Kevin Anderson), the local college's drama professor who adores her despite the secrets he knows that she is hiding. All the while, Martin comes upon evidence that Laura is likely alive, and so, stops at nothing to find her to carry out his undying promise of 'never letting her go'. To that, psychotic hubby Martin relentlessly menaces a fear-ridden Laura & Ben. Drama, scares & an iconic final line of dialogue ensues.
I love the way this film begins. No time is wasted on frivolous back story. We just bear witness to Laura's captivity by her deranged, OCD-driven, wildly abusive husband & what she has to do to escape it. Each step of the way for the rest of the story, we follow Laura through every emotion she's feeling; fear that she'll be found, tenuous joy in her newfound home, budding romance, horrifying realization that she made a rash error back in Cape Cod which would allow Martin to realize her betrayal, etc. Jerry Goldsmith's great music score suits the edgy storyline very well; particularly near the end when Laura is afraid to open her kitchen cabinet to see if her canned goods have been properly arranged to the way Martin would have put them.
Other pieces of music are used to great effect, as well. Van Morrison's pop classic "Brown Eyed Girl" factors in big time during a rare light-hearted segment when Laura is finally enjoying her new life in Iowa. And on the dire opposite end of the spectrum, Hector Berlioz's droning, somber classical piece becomes a theme for rape throughout the film; as Laura recalls how Martin would play it when having non-consensual sex with her. Patrick Bergin excels as the tall, dark, handsome, but psychopathic Martin. To liken him to the Devil would be apt. That said, though we loathe him ... he's actually the most interesting character -- abuses, yet truly loves Laura; has personal demons which drive his compulsions with his wife.
Kevin Anderson's Ben represents the perfect "nice guy" to parallel the "worst" -- Martin. But we do hope that he & Laura can make it out alive, and together. And Julia Roberts' Laura is the epitome of the innocent, but resourceful heroine. Here we see Julia's beaming smile & infectious laugh, but most of her portrayal is subdued & nervy; I liked that change-up, for her. 'Sleeping with the Enemy' offers the kind of direction, pacing, acting style & plotline of a 1940s film noir. And as mentioned above, ya can't beat the movie's final heave-a-sigh-of-relief line: "Come quickly. I've just killed an intruder".
One fateful evening, Laura, who can't swim, "drowns" during a sailing mishap. The accident, however, was really a pre-meditated escape plan by Laura {who'd been taking swimming lessons} and still alive. Traveling far, far away from Cape Cod to the quaint town of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Laura embarks on a new life and, with a new name ... Sarah Waters. Now in Cedar Falls, she'd also be closer to her blind, wheelchair-bound, nursing home-residing mother, who Martin believes is deceased. Though apprehensive at first, Laura starts dating amiable Ben Woodward (Kevin Anderson), the local college's drama professor who adores her despite the secrets he knows that she is hiding. All the while, Martin comes upon evidence that Laura is likely alive, and so, stops at nothing to find her to carry out his undying promise of 'never letting her go'. To that, psychotic hubby Martin relentlessly menaces a fear-ridden Laura & Ben. Drama, scares & an iconic final line of dialogue ensues.
I love the way this film begins. No time is wasted on frivolous back story. We just bear witness to Laura's captivity by her deranged, OCD-driven, wildly abusive husband & what she has to do to escape it. Each step of the way for the rest of the story, we follow Laura through every emotion she's feeling; fear that she'll be found, tenuous joy in her newfound home, budding romance, horrifying realization that she made a rash error back in Cape Cod which would allow Martin to realize her betrayal, etc. Jerry Goldsmith's great music score suits the edgy storyline very well; particularly near the end when Laura is afraid to open her kitchen cabinet to see if her canned goods have been properly arranged to the way Martin would have put them.
Other pieces of music are used to great effect, as well. Van Morrison's pop classic "Brown Eyed Girl" factors in big time during a rare light-hearted segment when Laura is finally enjoying her new life in Iowa. And on the dire opposite end of the spectrum, Hector Berlioz's droning, somber classical piece becomes a theme for rape throughout the film; as Laura recalls how Martin would play it when having non-consensual sex with her. Patrick Bergin excels as the tall, dark, handsome, but psychopathic Martin. To liken him to the Devil would be apt. That said, though we loathe him ... he's actually the most interesting character -- abuses, yet truly loves Laura; has personal demons which drive his compulsions with his wife.
Kevin Anderson's Ben represents the perfect "nice guy" to parallel the "worst" -- Martin. But we do hope that he & Laura can make it out alive, and together. And Julia Roberts' Laura is the epitome of the innocent, but resourceful heroine. Here we see Julia's beaming smile & infectious laugh, but most of her portrayal is subdued & nervy; I liked that change-up, for her. 'Sleeping with the Enemy' offers the kind of direction, pacing, acting style & plotline of a 1940s film noir. And as mentioned above, ya can't beat the movie's final heave-a-sigh-of-relief line: "Come quickly. I've just killed an intruder".