Consenting Adults

Directed by Alan J. Pakula, Consenting Adults follows Kevin Kline’s Richard Parker as he finds himself in a whole mess of trouble after befriending his enigmatic new neighbor (Kevin Spacey’s Eddy Otis). It’s interesting to note that Consenting Adults ultimately fares better in its low-key, domestic drama-focused first half, as Pakula, armed with a screenplay by Matthew Chapman, does a terrific job of establishing the four central characters and the suburban environment in which they reside – with the compelling, watchable atmosphere heightened by Stephen Goldblatt’s sturdy cinematography and a quartet of captivating performances. (Spacey and costars Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Rebecca Miller are very good here, to be sure, and yet it’s Kline’s magnetic, commanding turn that remains a continuing highlight within the proceedings.) There’s little doubt, then, that Consenting Adults‘ hold on the viewer’s interest is loosened by a progressively ludicrous midsection and third act, and it’s clear, certainly, that the decision to transform the picture into a full-on thriller doesn’t work quite as well as Pakula has obviously intended – which, when coupled with a rather anticlimactic finish, cements the film’s place as a decent-enough endeavor that feels like it could (and should) be so much better.

**1/2 out of ****