How could they manage to get two such terrific actors to play burlesque? Walken has a ridiculous hair dye job, and acts like a sex-starved adolescent. Pryce fares slightly better, but only slightly, as the egocentric husband more upset about LOSING his wife than losing HIS WIFE. There are a few good scenes, but overall this is too cliched and contrived to be enjoyed.
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aromatic-25 February 2002
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..it is really not a very good title for what is a pretty good film... when a seriously beautiful and intelligent woman is trapped between relationships with two extremely controlling men, there is nowhere she feels she can go... this is a well acted film, and for all the screen-play productions dealing with similar story lines, this one does it better than most all others... an independent individual wants to feel they are free, but binding themselves to anyone, and they're sure to loose that independence.. life requires compromise, you just do not see it presented in such a direct way as comes about in this film.. and as in real life, there is no automatic clear-cut happy ending..
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SkaVenger24 July 1999Most people never heard of this movie, although it has two brilliant actors. Once I heard Christopher Walken saying that he makes movies that nobody watches, and sometimes he makes some movies not even him watches. But I tell you what, "A Business Affair" is not bad.
It's not great either but hey ... On the day I saw this movie, I saw 4 others (old flicks), and this one was the best, and it was better than any of the three I had seen the day before.
The good performances by charismatic actors help, as well as beautiful french actress Carole Bouquet (it shows her naked a couple of times). And some funny lines too (Walken says at a point of the movie: 'My father used to sell pizzas in Harlem so now I can sell art in Europe').
I wouldn't say it's a must see, but I should confess it's better than at least 60% of the things I watch. -
rbrb14 April 2004Ludicrous and unconvincing Euro financed trivia. Two males in "love" with one woman...blah blah blah. The female lead is portrayed as possibly the most un-attractive person ever shown on screen. How I was able to sit thru this garbage I don't know....it was neither funny nor dramatic and most of the times the actors gave the distinct impression they were going through the motions. The script is bad, the story stupid and the acting appallingly bad. No wonder the American film industry is light years ahead in every department.......1 out of 10.
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strusins12 February 2000I just finished watching A Business Affair, and I am not displeased with the movie. It was enjoyable. I don't think it's fair to call it a comedy as it wasn't a very funny movie. It was more light hearted (and sometimes heavy hearted) drama.
Christopher Walken was superb. As usual. But despite top billing, he's not the main character.
Carol Bouquet, as the lead character, was marvelous. I enjoyed her portrayal of a modern woman who struggles with some old problems. She's held down by an egotistical husband (Jonathan Pryce) until she is swept away (in an exciting, and all too plausible affair) by Christopher Walken, her husband's publisher.
There is enough heart wrenching done during the affair portion of the movie to show you that each character is all too human. And while we may not identify or approve of what each character ends up doing, I think we can understand it.
By the end... some mistakes are repeated (sometimes unexpectedly) by a character I was rooting for. And while it wasn't the ending I would have chosen, it was a "right" ending. Because this is a movie about a woman, and her life and career... it's not about my favorite actor, who once again doesn't get the happy ending.
I'm surprised at the low ratings this movie has gotten here. I'd say it's because so many people want to see Christopher Walken playing a psychopath, and don't get into this type of human drama. But I'd be guessing at that. If you expect some blood or fangs, then pass this up. Because here, Christopher Walken is very good in a very human story. Give it a chance. -
A nice little film, British mostly, that I liked, even though it really contained no actors I was particularly familiar with, aside from Christopher Walken. He was quite good here, playing a relatively normal character (no psychopath or super-villain). Very impressive was Carole Bouquet, playing Kate, a frustrated writer married to Alec (Jonathan Pryce) who was already a well-respected writer. Alec was just about a case study in the way men can be such complete jerks and utterly drive away the women they (think they) love. So, Kate eventually leaves and takes up with (and eventually marries) Vanni (Walken). But she finds things are different with him, but not necessarily better. Strange are the ways of love. I don't suppose Bouquet has a lot of fans in the U.S. but if so, they should definitely catch this film. Anyone ready for something with no murders or explosions might want to check it out. Grade: B
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Kaiserin-Elisabeth18 October 2006I think "A Business Affair" is a lovely nice film, that can be watched by the whole family, and you can't say that about many films in these times. It takes place in a great environment like London. Okay, it's a simple story about a woman between two men, but it's funny. Romeo and Juliet for example is also a simple story- two young people, who can't come together- but it's alway modern, and so it is with the problem of the choice of Mr. Right. And it's fine to see Mr. Walken in this part, he's doing great! And I think it's a insult to say, that it's "Euro trash" and the Europeans don't know how to make films like Hollywood. All American movies aren't masterpieces, just think about American pie or films like that...
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david-148124 December 2011I really loved this movie. Here's a lady who gets told by two lovers one being her husband and the other her husbands publisher who simply don't want a woman to be more successful than they are. But like life being acted out in a movie, this is still a sad truth in our society too. Kate only wanted love to be on equal terms.
Strangely quite a lot of dialogue is held over the food, super nice restaurants and home cooked food, and I felt like I was eating with everyone while the conversations were going on.
Whats more fun is how Kate looks in some very sexy outfits and I loved the amazing comeback lines all the actors had in this film. Well worth watching and well worth seeing on DVD - I only wish I had seen it on the big screen. -
I am very excited to watch this movie but i can't find it on Internet