If I Were You

2013
6.9| 1h55m| R| en
Details

When a woman tries to outwit her husband's sexy young mistress, the unexpected consequences include starring as King Lear in a very amateur production - with the mistress, an aspiring actress, playing The Fool.

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Reviews

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
Mandeep Tyson The acting in this movie is really good.
Zandra The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
blanche-2 Marcia Gay Hardin is out of this world fabulous in "If I Were You" from 2012.Hardin is Madelyn, a married career woman who finds out her husband is having an affair with a young woman - she spots them at a restaurant. Panicked as her husband leaves the restaurant, she ducks into a store, and so does the girlfriend Lucy (Lenore Watling).Madelyn spots her rival buying a rope and booze, so she follows her home to make sure she isn't committing suicide, which she is. The two talk and become friends, though Madelyn has a hidden agenda. The two make a pact about their men (the same man) - each will tell the other what to do about her problem.Then, by complete accident, Madelyn and Lucy are cast in a production of King Lear, even though Madelyn is not an actress. Madelyn is Lear.I love the story - it's fresh, it's funny; it's also poignant, sad, and inspiring. The acting is terrific. Hardin really carries the film with her comedy coming out as a result of her character's situation. Nothing put on or going for laughs. It's streaming on Netflix. Though it drags a little in the middle, keep with it and whatever you do, don't miss King Lear.
MartinHafer "If I were You" is a frustrating film to watch, though I do recommend it. Why frustrating? It's because it is almost like two or three different portions of films tossed together--and this is disconcerting. For example, the film starts off as a funny little comedy but then later it's depressing and maudlin and later it's a romance! I really wish the film had maintained a tighter focus--perhaps then it would have made money. Still, with some wonderful acting from Marcia Gay Harden and many wonderful moments, it is still very good.The film begins with a woman (Harden) discovering that her husband is cheating on her. However, in a weird (and funny) twist, she sees the mistress about to kill herself and must intervene. No matter how much she hates her, she has some compassion and won't just stand back and see her die. Soon, in a weirder twist, the two become very good friends--though the mistress has no idea that her new friend is her lover's wife! There is MUCH more to the film than this--and as I said before, the film has great difficulty maintaining focus in style or plot. It's a shame, as the film is VERY funny in places.So would you like my advice? Well, you are reading this, so I assume you do. First, don't let kids watch the film--it's just too adult. Second, watch it if you are willing to look over the uneven bits, as there is so much good in this one.By the way, if you like this film, try watching Harden in "Canvas"---another small and overlooked film in which her acting really, really shines.
Pidgey1 What you might expect from a movie about two women, one who is lovely, older, wiser, and not as firm, the other lovely, young and not very bright, except for when it comes to manipulation and adoration of the physical and the moment, would not be what you get in If I Were You . It's a movie that does not underestimate the buddy aspect of a romp, and it turns that inside out by using traditional methods, straight (wo)man, loose limbed physical comedy, and adds a dose of heartbreak not only in the realm of love, but in all relationships including friendship and parent child. It's an exceptional vehicle for Harden and one she readily deserves as she is overlooked and underused in so many ways.
daxjordan2000 I managed to score a seat to the sold out showing at the Palm Springs Film Festival last night, and the packed house ate this movie up. Marcia Gay Harden makes the argument for comedic performances becoming Oscar worthy. The clever situation that sets up the whole film starts immediately and the laughs come quickly, punctuated by moments of profound emotional connection. It's a movie about relationships, but it's also a movie about acting, at first metaphorically and then overtly. Written and directed by a woman, and starring many strong women, it shines with honesty and humor without coming off as a "chick flick". And Aiden Quinn's baritone voice will test the lower range of your theaters subwoofers. See this movie, and pray it gets a good distribution deal.