"I Think I Love My Wife" stars Chris Rock as Richard Cooper, a happily married man with two children, a loving wife and only one thing on his mind: sex.
Unfortunately for him, his wife, played by Gina Torres ("Firefly", "Serenity), has much more domestic things on her mind. Enter Nikki Tru (Kerry Washington): an old flame of Richard's who shows up and forces him to decide what he really wants out of life.
This remake of a 1972 French film, "Chloe in the Afternoon," tackles the difficulties inherent in most relationships from a male perspective. Some may call this perspective misogynistic but, as a man, I feel that while it is obviously hyperbolic, it is nevertheless a perspective that most guys will relate to.
Director and co-writer Rock brings up all the downsides of marriage with total honesty via narration while his character tries to decide whether to commit adultery.
While adultery is not generally a topic to laugh about, the narration is so up front and matter of fact, and Rock's character is such an everyman, you can't help but laugh as he continues to dig himself into a deeper and deeper hole.
Fans of Rock in his "Saturday Night Live" days will be glad to know that his trademark anger and joke delivery do make an appearance in the film, and his brand of humor can be felt throughout. In fact, it is almost like he wrote most of the jokes beforehand for some sort of anti-suburbia bit but then decided to turn the whole thing into a movie.
The characters are part of what makes "I Think I Love My Wife" so appealing. Not only is each character fully fleshed out with nuances and real personality, but the acting is top-notch across the board. Rock's performance seems very heartfelt, and Washington shines and simmers as Nikki Tru. Steve Buscemi ("Art School Confidential", "Mr. Deeds") even shows up to play the sleazy but practical office friend in yet another role he seems perfect for.
Unfortunately, despite its unique viewpoint, "I Think I Love My Wife" does end up feeling a little trite by the end. The whole story felt very formulaic, and the end of the film felt like somewhat of a cop-out after the anti-suburbia message that permeates the film.
Despite its flaws, "I Think I Love My Wife" is a suburban satire that anyone who has ever been unhappy in a relationship can relate to.
Reach the reporter at: zachary.richter@asu.edu.
