NINA TAKES A LOVER
US, 1995, 93 minutes, Colour.
Laura San Giacomo, Paul Rhys, Michael O'Keefe, Fisher Stevens.
Directed by Alan Jacobs.
Nina Takes a Lover is a slight romantic comedy. It focuses on Nina, who works in a fashionable shoe shop, telling her story to a journalist, of how her husband was absent and that she met a man and they became lovers. There are also scenes when the man is seen talking to the journalist. The other characters in the film are mainly Nina's close friend who is having a relationship with Paulie (Fisher Stevens). Laura San Giacomo and Paul Rhys are the couple, Michael O'Keefe the journalist.
The film seems fairly conventional in its presentation of Nina, her meeting with a photographer in the park, the growing relationship, the sexual encounters, their talking. However, there is a twist just before the end which makes the film that much more interesting: it turns out that Nina and her husband were involved in role-play and that the photographer is, in fact, her husband. When their discussion one evening reveals that he has had some relationships in the past, Nina is upset and moves him out of the apartment. The discussions with the journalist turn into a form of psychotherapy - and enabling the two to come back together again.
The film offers reflection on the nature of marital relationships, the attraction of lovers, married couples enhancing their relationship, fantasies and games as well as portrayal and reconciliation.
1. A romantic comedy? A romantic comedy about fidelity, infidelity, reconciliation and forgiveness?
2. The city settings, apartments, studios, shoe shops? The exteriors? The American city of the 90s? The musical score?
3. The title, leading audience expectations to expect that the photographer was a lover - and surprise that he in fact was Nina's husband?
4. The device of having Nina and the photographer telling their story to the journalist? The role of the journalist as listener, inquirer, curious, therapist?
5. Nina, her marriage, her absent husband? Her work at the shoe shop, her customers? Her girlfriend and the discussions about Paulie? Her giving her apartment key to them, Paulie and his going through her things, taking her underwear - leading to suspicions from her friend, accusations? Her being in the park, sitting near the photographer, their gradually getting into conversation, sharing, meeting? The discussion about the relationship? The sexual encounter in the shoe shop? Going to each other's place, the sexual fantasies, the games? Nina's reflection on the nature of this relationship, as different from that with her husband, the revelation of herself to the lover? The irony that in fact she was making new contacts, reaching new depths with her husband? The discovery of the photos, his confession about relationships? Her anger, throwing him out? Her discussions with Paulie? Her encounters, the husband coming back, her gradual forgiving him, the reconciliation?
6. The photographer, audience perception of him as a stranger, his gradually getting to know Nina, sexual encounter, rendezvous, discussions? The relationships - and the revelation that he was her husband? Being put out, his return, the reconciliation?
7. Her girlfriend and Paulie, the nature of their relationship, her discussions with Nina, Nina and the discussions with Paulie, the kiss, his taking things from her bedroom, her relying on him as a friend?
8. The light touch, the affluent city setting, audiences identifying with Nina and the photographer, with her girlfriend and Paulie, the nature of marriage, the nature of relationships, the deepening of the marriage relationship, sexuality and love?
