The Secret Lives of Second Wives

June. 28,2008      
Rating:
4.4
Trailer Synopsis Cast

Lynn Hughes finds that marriage the second time around is far from idyllic when the ex wife and her children return to manipulate her husband Jack.

Andrea Roth as  Lynn Bartlett
Brian McNamara as  Jack Hughes
Dan Payne as  Alex
Laura Soltis as  Janet
Jill Morrison as  Kay
Tracy Spiridakos as  Meredith
Ryan McDonell as  Patrick
Ryan Jefferson Booth as  James
Ken Camroux-Taylor as  Harrison
Ali Liebert as  Brooke

Reviews

Glucedee
2008/06/28

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

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AnhartLinkin
2008/06/29

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

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Kien Navarro
2008/06/30

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

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Ricardo Daly
2008/07/01

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

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felix-goldberg
2008/07/02

What we have here is a woman who has some real problems in her marriage - due mostly to her husband's ex-wife, children, mother and IRS shenanigans. So what does she do? Well, after making a few abortive attempts to talk things over with her husband (who amiably but vainly tries to please everybody) she - literally! - runs off to sleep with the house inspector who had been making completely obvious passes at her for the past 30 min or so of the film.If this was somewhat hard to swallow or to cheer at, what comes next is even worse: miraculously all the aforementioned problems sort themselves out and then our heroine confesses her affair to her husband who forgives her. Happy end.It's hard to know where to begin to criticize this travesty. If this were a movie about a family disintegrating because of communication problems it would have been sad but true. But instead this train-wreck of a movie sends two messages: (a) adultery is a viable solution to problems (b) adultery does not really matter. (Since both propositions are false and invidious it actually matters little that they are somewhat contradictory...) Finally, what is even more infuriating is the way the supposedly insoluble problems just disappear towards the end - the viewers are obviously not thought of highly enough to even bother about some deus ex machina.This is all a pity because Andrea Roth is an excellent actress. However, she is not enough to save this lame attempt at a movie.

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refdan
2008/07/03

The other reviewer accurately describes this made for TV "Comedy/Drama" as a "chick flick." A self respecting male viewer will see this as ridiculously unrealistic and sappy.The "heroine" Lynn has difficulties with her husbands first family so she ends up in a handsome young house inspector's bed. She insists on buying a house which her husband cannot afford and she is unsupportive to her husband while he tries to deal with his daughter's marriage and some financial difficulties.Lynn then tells her husband that she has been unfaithful and he meekly forgives her and appears to be a complete fool with no pride.This kind of film was obviously written BY and woman FOR women. Any self respecting man will find nothing to enjoy here. I'm sorry that I watched it.I kept hoping that the B***H would get her comeuppance, but apparently, infidelity is OK if you are an attractive blond woman, at least according to the writer of this mush.

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ovaga1
2008/07/04

There is a ring of bitter sweet truth to this movie which profiles the trials and tribulations of anyone who has had to be a surrogate parent and spouse. It's a thankless job. The children aren't your flesh and blood, and everyone knows it. If you draw boundaries and are strict, you are cold-hearted "step parent". If you try too hard to please, you become a door mat that know one respects, and you end up losing your sense of self in the relationship. This is the struggle of Lynn Hughes, played superbly by Andrea Roth. A talented, and arguably under-rated as an actress, Roth strikes the right balance of humanity, fallibility and humour as she tries to be the wife and mother in a ready-made family that has it's worts. Directed with a sure hand by George Mendeluk, the movie is never maudlin, at times touching without being cloying, and has touches of humor which is born out of the reality of painful relationships. Thoroughly enjoyable "chick flick".A must see.

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