A Perfect Man

A spoiler light review of A Perfect Man should begin with tone, because Kees Van Oostrum understands exactly how this romance ought to feel. A Perfect Man gains early credibility from Jeanne Tripplehorn, whose presence is balanced by the different rhythm of Liev Schreiber. The foundation of A Perfect Man can be stated simply: A womanizing husband inadvertently falls back in love with his wife over the phone when she pretends to be another woman. Within its 1h 35m running time, A Perfect Man reveals both the benefits and the limits of that disciplined approach.

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Jeanne Tripplehorn gives A Perfect Man its most dependable performance, finding a clear emotional intention beneath the plot. Opposite Jeanne Tripplehorn, Liev Schreiber brings A Perfect Man a contrasting pace that prevents the central relationship from feeling flat. Joelle Carter widens the ensemble of A Perfect Man through reactions that suggest a life beyond the immediate scene. Kees Van Oostrum serves the cast of A Perfect Man best when a look or pause is allowed to finish before the story moves on.

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Beneath its plot, A Perfect Man is most interested in vulnerability, timing and the risk involved in honest connection. That concern becomes visible through Jeanne Tripplehorn, whose choices allow A Perfect Man to explore an idea without stopping for a speech. The central character gives the themes of A Perfect Man a concrete dramatic form rather than leaving them abstract. The emotional value of A Perfect Man grows whenever Kees Van Oostrum trusts the audience to connect behaviour with the larger question.

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A Perfect Man benefits from Kees Van Oostrum being uncertain about tone and dramatic emphasis about what each sequence needs to accomplish. Instead of making every beat equally loud, Kees Van Oostrum lets A Perfect Man create contrast between pressure and release. Isolated moments suggest a more compelling version throughout A Perfect Man, with the strongest decisions feeling connected to character rather than display. It is still fair to say that A Perfect Man suffers because events happen without gathering enough dramatic force, but the problem remains contained.

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The craft of A Perfect Man is defined by intimate framing, supported by intimate framing rather than overwhelmed by decoration. Double Eagle gives A Perfect Man a production framework in which music used with emotional restraint can remain connected to story. Made from a United States production context, A Perfect Man uses setting and design to clarify mood before dialogue has to explain it. The technical finish of A Perfect Man works because image, sound and editing appear to be serving the same immediate purpose.

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At story level, A Perfect Man turns the central character and an important relationship into the source of its main tension. The role played by Jeanne Tripplehorn becomes the viewer's route through A Perfect Man, especially when a difficult choice begins to alter the situation. Larry Brand gives A Perfect Man momentum by allowing choices to create consequences instead of treating each scene as isolated information. Even when the wider conflict pushes the plot toward familiar ground, A Perfect Man remains attentive to what that pressure means for its characters.

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For romance viewers looking for chemistry supported by emotional detail, A Perfect Man is ultimately a film for only the most curious members of its likely audience. Its most persuasive combination in A Perfect Man brings Jeanne Tripplehorn together with music used with emotional restraint under the direction of Kees Van Oostrum. The fact that events happen without gathering enough dramatic force prevents A Perfect Man from being entirely seamless. Even with that reservation, A Perfect Man has a clear point of view and enough genuine feeling to justify the journey.