Four star

SOME women have all the luck! Not only does Diane Lane play the part of Richard Gere's wife in this erotic thriller, she gets to have an affair with a Frenchman, not just any old Frenchman, but the magnificent Olivier Martinez.

Diane plays apparently happy and complete Connie, wife and mother, who falls for the all-too-obvious charms of Olivier's Paul, and launches into a torrid and passionate romance.

She is also immediately thrown into remorse, but can't stop seeing her man.

The scenes of her living through every movement of the steamy seduction scene on the train home afterwards with a mixture of embarrassment, anquish and heady pleasure is one of the most evocative scenes in the whole film.

Connie's refusal to cast off her lovely Frenchman draw her and her family into a nightmare world of suspense and chilling violence.

It's all put together very stylishly, with more suspicion of erotica than utter raunchiness.

The three key players are marvellous and each one a beauty, even though Richard kept reminding me of Ben Elton - perhaps it was his liking for paternal knitware.

The DVD comes with a generous package of extras, including an alternative ending.

SCC