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Film review
A new piece of Chris Rock
The raunchy standup comedian shows a more mature, refined side in I Think I Love My Wife.
By STEVE PERSALL
Published March 15, 2007
Chris Rock stars in I Think I Love My Wife, a remake that he also co-wrote and directed. |  | | [Fox Searchlight] |
Remaking French cinema for American tastes is almost always a disaster. What a pleasant surprise to see I Think I Love My Wife almost get it right. And what a serious shock to know comedian Chris Rock did it. Rock's raunchy style makes him an unlikely choice to remake Eric Rohmer's bittersweet 1972 film, Chloe in the Afternoon, in which a bored husband is tempted by a vivacious woman. The project brings out a new Rock, more mature and confident in character than usual. He's still profane, but with a focused purpose. Rock is no Rohmer behind the camera, but he gets the job done with occasionally ambitious flashes that impress even when they fall flat. The screenplay Rock co-adapted with comedian Louis C.K. is heavy with voiceovers and repetition, yet some memorable lines emerge. Rock stars as Richard Cooper, an investment banker commuting to Manhattan from the suburban home he shares with wife Brenda Gina Torres and two prop children. Richard is a good husband and father, but he never does enough to please Brenda, who also works full time. The daily train ride gives Richard time to ponder his dull life and fantasize about all those other beautiful women in the world. Then a beautiful woman contacts Richard unexpectedly. Nikki Tru (Kerry Washington) is the former girlfriend of his college buddy and a stone cold fox. Richard and the audience probably read more into her flirtation than it deserves. Nikki begins showing up at the office for lunch breaks, raising suspicion among Richard's colleagues (including Steve Buscemi). Will Richard take the plunge or will his guilty behavior tip off Brenda? I Think I Love My Wife is as much of a morality tale as Rohmer's film. Rock adds just enough modern (i.e. dirty) humor to make his movie contemporary, but with obvious regard for the past. The package is ragged but works well enough to make a late scene that should be disastrous something to admire. I Think I Love My Wife won't satisfy fans expecting Rock's standup wildness or film purists who believe any French remake is sacrilege. Those who can appreciate a bad boy's maturation will find much to enjoy. Steve Persall can be reached at (727) 893-8365 or persall@sptimes.com. Review I Think I Love My Wife Grade: B Director: Chris Rock Cast: Chris Rock, Kerry Washington, Gina Torres, Steve Buscemi, Edward Herrmann, Welker White Screenplay: Chris Rock, Louis C.K., based on the 1972 film Chloe in the Afternoon by Eric Rohmer Rating: R; strong profanity, sexual situations, brief nudity, violence and drug content Running time: 100 min.
[Last modified March 15, 2007, 09:56:04]
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