Oscar Wilde has been let down badly by this adaptation. The first main problem is the mis-casting - neither Helen Hunt nor Scarlett Johanssen are convincing in their roles. Scarlett in particular fails woefully to capture either the innocence of a young, newly married woman or the pain and angst resultant from her husband's actions. (It's not the first time she's failed at such a role - see 'Lost in Translation' for similarly wooden acting). She seems transparently ill-at-ease with the role, though what young actress can portray innocence these days? Helen Hunt also fails to capture anything like the cunning, moral ambivalence, or self-denial that her character should have. Helen Mirren would have been a much more appropriate choice.
The script is poor - I got the impression that many scenes contained a barrage of Wilde'e one-liners and quips, which gave them a false, unreal quality. The plot also had a few large holes - as other commentators have described. The movie's only saving graces are Tom Wilkinson's performance and elements of Wilde's script.
The script is poor - I got the impression that many scenes contained a barrage of Wilde'e one-liners and quips, which gave them a false, unreal quality. The plot also had a few large holes - as other commentators have described. The movie's only saving graces are Tom Wilkinson's performance and elements of Wilde's script.
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