Rating: NR/R
Genre:
Drama
Theatrical Release: 12/09/1992(France),
Release Date: 11/17/1998
SubTitles: English/French/Espanol
Dubbed: English
Sound: 2/5.1
Run Time: 112 Minutes
Flags: Nudity, Strong Sexual Content, Not For Children, Profanity
Distributor/Studio: New Line Home Video
Adapted from
Josephine Hart's spare novel by British screenwriter
David Hare and French director
Louis Malle, this brooding
erotic drama concerns the obsessive sexual relationship between an English politician and his son's lover.
Stephen Flemming (
Jeremy Irons), an up-and-coming member of Parliament, has a beautiful and loving wife,
Ingrid (
Miranda Richardson), and two children, including son
Martyn (
Rupert Graves), a successsful journalist. Sparks fly, however, when
Stephen meets beautiful art-world denizen
Anna Barton (
Juliette Binoche),
Martyn's new girlfriend. A measured, seemingly passionless man who believes that life can be controlled,
Stephen suddenly finds himself unable to resist brief but intense liaisons with the mysterious, melancholy
Anna. Eventually she explains the palpable air of sadness that hangs over her: When she was 15, her beloved older brother committed suicide because he could not possess her. "Remember,"
Anna warns
Stephen, "Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive." Drawn to
Anna and the passion she engenders in him,
Stephen tries to justify his betrayal by telling himself
Martyn isn't serious about
Anna; he is stunned, then, when the two announce their engagement. On the advice of
Anna's mother (
Leslie Caron), who sees right through the charade,
Stephen tries to break things off. But soon the affair resumes with full force, eventually destroying several lives. Although
Damage's stark, frank sex scenes were trimmed to attain an R rating for theatrical release, the original, uncut version is available on video and DVD.
Richardson received an Oscar nomination for her work.
~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
;)
