# Rich Man's Wife, The (1996)

### reviewed by
Jason Wallis

    The Rich Man's Wife * * * (out of four)
    Starring Halle Berry, Christopher McDonald, Clive Owen, Peter Greene and
    Clea Lewis
    Directed by Amy Holden Jones
    Rated R for profanity and strong violence
    Theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1
    Released in 1996
    Running 95 minutes

The Rich Man's Wife is one of those movies like Final Analysis or Body Double, where the story and characters are so one-dimensional and contrived that you know you shouldn't be enjoying yourself. But somehow, the movie just tries so hard that you begin to forgive it and get into the swing of things. Not that it's bad, it's just that it's been done before; and better, in my opinion.

I realize that this is going to sound pretty bizarre, but it's probably the best analogy that I can come up with right now; you know how when you see a spider or something in your toilet, striving helplessly to get out, and instead of just flushing him, you end up kind of rooting for the little guy? That's basically how I felt about this movie. I mean, it's not very good, but it's not completely bad either.

The wife of the title is Josie Potenza (played nicely by Halle Berry). She is married to Tony (Christopher McDonald...you know, the guy who looks like Joe Piscapo), a really stressed-out businessman who drinks way to much and doesn't give Josie the attention she deserves (*cough, cough*). Thus, she is driven into the arms of another man, Jake Golden (Clive Owen). Near the beginning of the film, Josie decides to try and work things out with Tony by dumping Jake and going on a vacation to a remote cabin in the woods.

Once there, however, Tony has to leave almost immediately due to business details (I'm still not quite sure what line of work he's in). Making the best of her situation, Josie stays there and begins making the rounds at the local bars. One night, she meets a stranger named Cole (Peter Greene, finally getting a meaty role). They have dinner together, and eventually, both Josie and the audience start to realize that Cole is homicidal. After learning that she is not happily married, Cole offers to "take care" of the problem.

Managing to escape from the psychotic maniac, Josie returns home and starts a reconciliation with her estranged and very wealthy husband. But then one night, Cole shows up...

And here is where the fun begins. From this point on, it's going to be a no-holds- barred cliche-fest, ripping off every movie from Strangers on a Train to The Usual Suspects. This is why most critics panned this movie when it first came out. And for the most part, they're right; The Rich Man's Wife has nary one original bone in it's body. But who cares? If you're looking for good ol' dumb suspense movie, you can't do much better than this. And if you suspense buffs aren't already sold, it has a killer of an ending too.

    Copyright 1998 Jason Wallis

    Jason Wallis
    rwallis@inreach.com
    http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Boulevard/7475

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