(15, 99mins) Laura Dern, Mark Ruffalo, Peter Krause, Naomi Watts. Directed by John Curran

Romances which begin in a soft-focus, slowmotion blur often end badly, which is probably why Hollywood movies concentrate on couples in the first flushes of love.

This film certainly does not labour under any romantic illusions. Based on two novellas by Andre Dubus, John Curran's impeccably acted four-hander is a hard-hitting study of marital discord and infidelity.

Jack Linden (Ruffalo) and Hank Evans (Krause) are college professors and good friends, living with their respective wives, Terry (Dern) and Edith (Watts) in a sleepy New England college town.

On the surface, both marriages seem solid but behind closed doors, emotions run high. Terry is exhausted trying to take care of two children and complete the household chores.

By the time Jack gets home, any chance of spontaneous passion with her husband has been well and truly extinguished.

Edith is a model housewife to please her husband. Unfortunately, Hank is more interested in satiating his libido, not necessarily with his wife.

This is an extremely cold film. We don't warm emotionally to any of the four central characters, who are predisposed to hurting each other with little care for the consequences, especially their children.

Performances are exemplary - from Ruffalo's dreamer who is constantly jealous of Hanks' lot in life, to Dern's tormented wife, a timebomb of rage and despair just waiting to explode.