Drama of domestic ennui too subtle for its own good (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - This tale depicting thequiet existential despair of a married architect who finds hisfeelings reawakened by an attentive single woman is so mutedand internal in its focus that its entire running time feelslike a preamble to a drama that never quite begins.

Patrick Wilson, in a role not too far removed from hisadulterer in "Little Children," plays Will, a successful NewYork architect who seems to have it all: a beautiful,successful wife (Amy Smart), an adorable 7-year-old child and acareer that's on the verge of taking off thanks to aprospective merger with a big firm.

But there seems to be something missing, as evidenced by anearly scene in which he attempts to initiate some early morningsex only to be rebuffed by his hurried spouse. When he meetsyoung retail designer Kate (Lynn Collins), he begins a quietflirtation in which he pointedly forgets to mention his beingmarried. When she finds out, she's so distraught by therevelation that she immediately moves to Los Angeles.

Although it's admirable that director-screenwriter TraceyHecht refuses to infuse the proceedings with melodramatic plotelements, her tasteful restraint proves detrimental. Most ofthe drama takes place within Will's churned-up psyche, butthough the handsome Wilson fulfills the physical aspects of hisrole perfectly, he's unable to provide the characterizationwith a depth that goes much beyond a general hangdogexpression. Smart is similarly unable to infuse her thanklessrole with any significant texture. While Collins is highlyappealing as the emotionally naked Kate, her character fails tocome to life either.

The supporting players -- including Rashida Jones and suchNew York theater regulars as Fred Weller and Zak Orth --provide some helpful colorful moments, but despite theirefforts "Life in Flight" never quite manages to take off.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter