The Silence of Adultery (1995) starring Kate Jackson, Art Hindle, Patricia Gage, Kristin Fairlie, Robert Desiderio, Kevin Zegers directed by Steven Hilliard Stern Movie Review

The Silence of Adultery (1995)   2/52/52/52/52/5


Kate Jackson in The Silence of Adultery (1995)

Silence Would Be Golden

Dr. Rachel Lindsey (Kate Jackson) specialises in working with children with autism using a new method of teaching using horse riding. But her marriage to David (Art Hindle) is failing as if she isn't busy working he is and they now barely see each other or talk despite having children. It is how Rachel ends up getting close to Michael Harvett (Robert Desiderio) the charming father of one of her students and as they embark on an affair it puts a new pressure on her.

Let me describe the opening three scenes in "The Silence of Adultery" starting with the opening one as the credits role and we watch Kate Jackson riding a horse in the early morning, snow is on the ground, slow motion is in full effect and so is the sweet music and it is corny. The next scene sees Art Hindle wake and walk into the shower where yes Kate Jackson is now having a shower and looking sexy whilst we quickly learn the love has fallen out of their marriage as Kate is unreceptive to his touches, all of which is of course filmed so you see nothing. And then we have to have the breakfast scene where Kate is super mum who has done the washing that her kids need, make breakfast and packed lunches whilst being chipper and unfazed. I've described those three scenes because it is all incredibly false and cheesy for being so and that is even before we get to the real story.

I will be honest I almost gave up watching "The Silence of Adultery" at this point because it was incredibly manufactured with Jackson's character having one cute younger daughter and a beautiful older daughter who dresses grown up for a teen. I didn't switch off I stuck with it but what followed continued in the same style with manufactured scene, fluffy romance and unbelievable drama which might appeal to a certain crowd but disappointed this movie fan.

The reason why "The Silence of Adultery" disappointed is the concept of a teacher of autistic children and a father of a student having an affair has plenty of potential to be clever and insightful. And so when we get soft scenes full of manufactured drama it seems such a cop out on the potential of what it could have been with a bit more bravery.

It's not just that it goes down the corny romantic route which disappoints as the acting is forced from start to finish with Jackson laying it on thick as the perfect mum with a husband who doesn't take her work seriously.

What this all boils down to is that "The Silence of Adultery" just didn't do it for me and the general manufactured, cheesy scenes and styling end up being a waste of a movies potential.


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