There are few images more painful than the decay of love. Add to that the complexity of marriage, mid-life crisis, vomiting children and the sharp whirr of a dentist’s drill. What you get is a general aversion to any kind of imagery at all. “Secret Lives of Dentists” is a disturbed film, not disturbing -- but disturbed. It is a little lost in it own cause. It has the message that has become increasingly popular among modern independent film – a woman is trapped in a marriage with a rather uninteresting man and wants out but cannot really do it. The man wants a passion from his wife that he knows he does not deserve. The daemons in his head soon take on a living form and taunt him into believing that his life is not worth much.
Like most modern independent films, this film is shot beautifully. A scene where a little girl holds on to the father’s finger from within the slots of a crib seems to linger forever: a luxury most films can ill afford. The pain of dry love is allowed to hover like dead damp air and the viewer feels it and is cringes.
In essence, this film is an opportunity wasted. A good theme wasted by a weak plot.
Like most modern independent films, this film is shot beautifully. A scene where a little girl holds on to the father’s finger from within the slots of a crib seems to linger forever: a luxury most films can ill afford. The pain of dry love is allowed to hover like dead damp air and the viewer feels it and is cringes.
In essence, this film is an opportunity wasted. A good theme wasted by a weak plot.