On S List of Movie Reviews

(For optimum viewing, adjust the zoom level of your browser to 125%.)


Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)

Rate: 8
Viewed: 5/04, 3/22

SleepEn
3/22: There are several films that Julia Roberts is famous for, and one of them is Sleeping with the Enemy which came first way, way before Enough did with Jennifer Lopez.

A huge box-office hit in 1991, the story is highly absorbing while the editing and cinematography are flawless. Taking place around the stunning-looking house on the beach, the film starts off well, and then, things take a turn for worse, exposing flaws in the Burneys' marriage.

It's easy to feel for Laura during one pivotal scene when she's punched in the head and kicked in the leg while on the floor after being questioned about the doctor. All of a sudden, Martin is cool about taking a trip on the boat with his wife and the aforementioned guy. Talk about psychological issues with an obsessive-compulsive disorder on top of them. When they have sex, she feels raped while the haunting music of Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique plays in the background.

No doubt, it's an infamous role for Patrick Bergin who'll be forever typecast, but he's quite good in a chilling way. Julia Roberts gives an excellent performance. When the bearded Kevin Anderson shows up before the husband does, Sleeping with the Enemy is transformed into a three-act film: the revelation of marriage troubles, the idyllic time by escaping them, and the aftermath.

All in all, showcasing the classic cycle of spousal/partner abuse perfectly, Sleeping with the Enemy is an unforgettable film for both Julia Roberts and Patrick Bergin.