Sleeping With The Enemy (1991)

Plot of Sleeping with the Enemy: Laura is married to an extremely rich man and lives in a luxurious beachside dwelling. But he is an obsessive requiring perfection in everything and should she not fulfil his mad requirement she becomes violent and abusive. After such event she makes up with her, giving her gifts and flowers, and subsequently demanding sex. But she has been preparing for escape and when a visitor with a boat takes them out sailing in adverse conditions, she takes the opportunity of plunging overside un-noticed and swims ashore, moves to Iowa and adopts an fictious persona. Back in New England,  her husband, Martin, and others, commemorate her life dedicating a tombstone on the coast. So far so good, and gradually Laura, now Sara, forms a relationship with her next door neighbour, a drama teacher. But back in Boston, Martin gathers information which seems to indicate that Laura is still alive, and once certain, sets out to find her.

Content: There is some sex, but no nudity as Martin forces himself on Laura. The house on the coast is luxurious. They go out on the boat with the visitor, in what seem to me very dangerous conditions. We see how Laura had prepared for just such an event, and in flashback see her swim ashore and escape by bus. There after she rents what seems to be a nice house in a small town and over time gets to know Ben, a young drama teacher at the local college.  She mostly remains reluctant to accept his advances, probably due to her history. Gradually Martin gets to her.

A View: This film cost a limited $19 million and took $175 at the box office. It probably rode on the back of Julia Roberts’s previous appearance in Pretty Woman which had come out the previous year. But it is a weird film. The various sailing boat scenes look quite dodgy; even when the boat is tied up to a jetty close to the house it looks as if it is about to dash itself to death. And even in this very simple presentation there are plot holes and the supporting cast all look a bit creepy. I wondered it this was intended to be Laura’s view, but I don’t think so. Hence, it is a waste of time. If you fancy something like it try Gone Girl.

Fun Fact: Some of the film was shot in Abbeville, South Carolina. Julia Roberts controversially said that the place had been a ‘living hell”.