Faithful

Margaret O'Donnell is all tied up for her 20th wedding anniversary, and Tony, a hit man hired by her husband to kill her, is the one who tied her. While waiting for the husband's signal that his alibi has been established, the mind games begin and the balance of power shifts between this odd couple. Chazz Palminteri stars and wrote the script based on his play. This was Cher's first film in six years and no doubt she was hoping director Paul Mazursky would revitalize her career as he did Bette Midler's with Down and Out in Beverly Hills. Ryan O'Neal is his usual bland, blank self. The climactic twists, none very surprising, become so tiresome that one has to agree with Tony when he states, "The way I feel right now, I'd like to kill you both for nothing." Not a necessary purchase. (K. Lee Benson)[DVD Review--June 1, 2004--New Line, 91 min., R, $19.98--Making its debut on DVD, Paul Mazursky's 1996 Faithful boasts an impressive transfer and solid Dolby Digital 5.1 and surround tracks, but no extras. Bottom line: unless you're a Cher completist, this one's still a pass.]