I Think I Love My Wife Review
Posted by Chad Webb on 03.19.2007
I think I don't hate this movie.
Chris Rock: Richard Cooper
Kerry Washington: Nikki Tru
Gina Torres: Brenda Cooper
Steve Buscemi: George
Edward Herrmann: Mr. Landis
Welker White: Mary
Samantha Ivers: Tracy
Written/Directed/Produced By: Chris Rock
Release Date: March 16, 2007
Running Time: 94 minutes
Rated R for pervasive language and some sexual content.
Kerry Washington plays Nikki Tru in I Think I Love My Wife. She is a sexy, vindictive, and persuasive woman who seduces the character played by Chris Rock. In high school, I dated, and then became “friends” (if you wanna call it that) with a girl that is exactly like Nikki. She knows she can have any man she wants. They use that to their advantage, and we are helpless against those powers. This film brought back some interesting memories of that girl for me. She can make you feel like you're on top of the world at times, but eventually you discover that she is causing more problems than pleasure. I Think I Love My Wife startled me as a genuine, humorous, heartfelt comedy that is more realistic than one might think.
Richard Cooper (Chris Rock) is a successful business man that is happily married with two kids, a boy and a girl. Well, maybe scratch the happy part. He and his wife Brenda (Gina Torres) get along ok, but their sex life is virtually non-existent. Having children wiped out that desire in Brenda, and every time Richard motions for some bedroom fun, Brenda is not turned on. One day, an old buddy’s ex-girlfriend, Nikki Tru (Kerry Washington) strolls into his office building looking to get reacquainted. At this point, Richard regularly daydreams about being with other women whenever he walks by them, or views them from a distance. When Nikki shows up, she proves to be hard for Richard to resist. It starts out with asking for a simple job reccomendation, but gradually Nikki calls and/or visits Richard at his office every day. His outings with her begin to affect his work and home life. Richard does not know how to handle the situation. He wants to be with his wife, but she only sees him as a parental figure. Nikki clearly wants something else. Sooner or later Richard will have to make a choice between adultery and loyalty to Brenda.
What I really appreciated about this film was that Rock performed as a normal guy. A few black and white jokes are tossed around, which I didn’t care for, but he was an ordinary businessman with a family. His appearance was altered a tad to fit a mustache, and he did a marvelous job of acting like a bored, worn, yet sex hungry guy. He displays what is going through every man’s head. I don’t care if you are married or not. It is impossible not to look and think about other women, and this movie so wonderfully embraces that fact of life. His character is human, his problems with deciding on whether or not to be faithful are thankfully not exaggerated.
Gina Torres, from the Matrix franchise and Firefly fame, is very attractive and believable as a housewife whose yearning for sexual intercourse has disappeared from her body all together. She and Richard go to counseling in an attempt to settle some issues, but nothing seems to get the engine running in the bedroom. This role could have easily been abused, and Richard’s wife could have been annoying and over the top to the point that we are rooting for him to cheat, but Torres was effective and almost restrained here.
Kerry Washington makes this whole storyline plausible. She is a gorgeous vixen with a purpose. I am sure many males reading this have encountered a woman such as this in their lifetime. Nikki knows that Richard is unhappy and getting no action from Brenda, but she pursues him, lures him, and flirts with him anyhow, while he continues to weaken. She talks about wanting to find true love, but that is not the case. She has one agenda. Her various outfits are out of this world. This follows her outstanding, yet overlooked role in The Last King of Scotland. Washington has a bright future ahead of her if she can land and deliver more solid parts. Providing the sporadic laugh as always is Steve Buscemi, who can step into any role and nail it down so fabulously. Another respectable supporting addition is Edward Herrmann as Cooper’s boss.
Chris Rock wrote and directed this picture with the utmost intention of creating an authentic portrait of a struggling marriage. This is a remake of Eric Rohmer’s 1972 French offering, Chloe in the Afternoon. Although I have not seen that film, this remake unfolds rather smoothly with a fresh and modern feel to it. I Think I Love My Wife is Rock’s most impressive directorial achievement to date. With 2003’s less than stellar Head of State being his only remaining effort, it was not a steep mountain to top. Rock’s comedic stylings are present around certain corners, but his dialogue is executed as insightful and sophisticated nonetheless. Like some standup comedians, it has always been rather difficult for Rock to transition from his routine act to a mainstream motion picture, but this is his most relaxed and suitable shift so far. He should be given some credit.
This story exhibits that when a marriage gets past a particular stage, some couples have to constantly show their significant other how much they care, and to what extent their love goes. Monogamy is not as effortless for some people as it is for others. Another aspect which I connected to in the background is whether or not guys and girls can be friends. It is a debate I love to have with people. This film struck home with me because the girl I mentioned earlier definitely screwed with me on many occasions like Nikki does with Richard. This analysis of the ins and outs of marriage is not overly profound or compelling, but it is smarter than one might expect. The ending is predictable, some jokes are duds, and the premise is familiar, but I Think I Love My Wife is not a total loss.
The 411: I Think I Love My Wife is an average film, and that is saying something because I anticipated a bad film. The chemistry between the performers was splendid, and enough gags worked correctly, but most of all, the story was realistic, and that is why I am awarding this a favorable rating. Chris Rock might not have a perfect record on his cinematic resume, but this proves that he is capable of handing in a decent role. If you are searching for a nice, funny, and enjoyable experience at the movies this week, give this a try.
