I was intrigued to see this drama, which is being advertised as more of a suspense film, almost a thriller. But such marketing makes this movie a sheep in wolf’s clothing, for it is not suspenseful at all, except for the notion that we really don’t know what is going on for most of the story. That could be suspenseful, but in this case, it is not.

Bart Freundlich’s film centers on Isabel (Michelle Williams), an American working at and trying to raise money for an orphanage in India. She travels to New York, reluctantly, to meet with a possible benefactor, and becomes involved with that woman, Theresa (Julianne Moore), her husband Oscar (Billy Crudup) and their daughter Grace (Abby Quinn) in ways in which she never could have imagined.

There certainly are secrets, lies and revelations in this tale, which are revealed directly and without excess. It is very believable drama, which develops from the characters and their relationships. That said, the film takes a l-o-n-g time to get going (the first half hour could have been cut almost completely without losing much), and there is surprisingly little dramatic payoff when we (along with Isabel) finally learn the truth.

Ultimately, it seems to me that the story is about compromise. The actions of one character force everyone else to react and live their lives differently than before. They have little choice but to bend and change and adapt to their new circumstances . . . because it’s all for the best. It is an odd but intriguing and compelling story, if you can make it past the halfway point and into the home stretch. ☆ ☆ 1/2. 7 September 2019.