The End of the Affair (1999)
Based on the novel by Graham Greene, set in 1946 London. Maurice (Fiennes) is a struggling novelist who meets Henry (Rea), a man now married to his ex-lover Sarah (Moore). The two former lovers discover that they are still in love with each other Maurice’s love is a suffocating one filled with obsession and jealousy and when he suspects that she may be cheating on him as well, he hires a private investigator to follow her around. Suspicions mount and soon the relationship hits new highs and lows with each successive outing.
The End of the Affair is a solid film by Neil Jordan, who bounces back after the worst movie of his career, In Dreams, with flair. Beautiful music and costumes, along with a stellar performance by Moore, who received a well-deserved Oscar nomination for the performance, make the film much more than a run of the mill romance.
At times predictable, at others profound, Jordan cranks up the emotion for a touching and powerful ending. Well worth watching for Moore’s performance alone, but the fact that the rest of the production is solid is icing on the cake.
Qwipster’s rating: A-
MPAA Rated: R for scenes of strong sexuality
Running Time: 102 min.
Cast:Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore, Stephen Rea, Ian Hart, Jason Isaacs
Director: Neil Jordan
Screenplay: Neil Jordan (based on the novel by Graham Greene)