Search - Deadly Betrayal on DVD

THE DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE FROM KNOTS LANDING

Michael Butts | Martinsburg, WV USA | 04/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, I'll admit up front that DEADLY BETRAYAL, a movie made for the Movie Channel is: sleazy, derivative, preposterous at times, etc. However, I found myself totally engrossed with it, and found a new respect for the lovely Nicolette Sheridan. Miss Sheridan burst onto the scene as the nymphomaniac daughter of Michelle Phillips on KNOTS LANDING. Of course now, she's a co-star on the hot series DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES. Sheridan who is now in her early 40s proves that you don't have to be under 30 to have a smoldering sensuality, and a gentle innocence at the same time. As the wife who makes a fatal mistake with a one night affair, she brings an intense ferocity to her role. Andrew Jackson as the initially charming Adam Hamilton, a teacher who has Sheridan's daughter as one of his pupils, is very good. His transition to his true personality is quick, but believable, and he uses his beefcake physique and intense eyes to bring a despicable character to life. Unfortunately, Robert Seeliger as Sheridan's work-obsessed husband seems uncomfortable with his role and he has no chemistry with Sheridan. Amanda Tilson as Melinda, the daughter, is a very effective child actress, whose fear of an impending divorce is believably felt. Leni Parker as Roz, Sheridan's buddy, is histrionic but affecting in her role. The movie's pacing is deliberate and slow, but suspense does build, although the ending seems a little rushed. It's not great cinema, but I found it entertaining."

Predictable But Entertaining

D. Personette | Conyers, GA USA | 07/07/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I liked this movie, but I can't for the life of me tell you why. It features Nicolette Sheridan as "Donna Randal," a wife and mother, who has a brief affair with her daughters teacher while her husband "Jeff," played by Robert Seeliger, is away on assignment. The affair is actually encouraged by her best friend and co-worker "Roz," played by Leni Parker.

Donna is upset because her husband's job as a foreign correspondent keeps him away for extended periods of time, and while on his current assignment he has forgotten to call her on their anniversary. She meets her daughters teacher "Adam," played by Andrew Jackson, who sympathizes with her, and she is quite taken by him. She runs into him at a concert and one thing leads to another and she ends up in his bed for one night.

As it turns out when she gets home and takes a shower to wash off the effects of her adultery, her husband shows up while she is towelling off, and announces that he is home to stay. She doesn't seem to be really overjoyed by the news, taking advantage of his presence to chew him out for past absences, but they do come together when he shows the proper remorse for his past sins of doing his job,(a little sarcasm there). As it rurns out, Adam, the teacher, shows up that night not knowing that Jeff has returned, and after an awkward few monents leaves, pretending to have been concerned about the daughter "Melinda," played by Amanda Tilson. Jeff seems a little suspicious, suggesting to Donna that since he is home and Melissa seems to be OK there will be no need for Adam to pay any more visits.

As the plot develops it turns out that her dalliance with Adam was videotaped and a copy is delivered to her husband at his office. He is understandably upset, and after playing the tape for her he leaves, taking Melinda with him.

After few days she goes to see Jeff to plead for a reconciliation. This is where the movie drops from a "4" to a "3" for me. When he makes it plain that he is through with her and can not forgive her adultery she tries to excuse it by saying she had been angry at his absence, was lonely and upset at his forgetting their anniversary. It seems to me that his reply should have been "so your reaction to being angry with me is to go out and have sex with someone else?" The logical follow-up would be "how many other times have you been angry with me?"

But he passes up that opportunity and the movie progresses to what I consider a formulaic and predictable conclusion that leaves me mildly dissappointed. All in all it was worth an evenings viewing and Nicollette in a tight tee shirt made it worth watching for me."