Faithful (1996)

Synopsis: Guilt-ridden hit man and depressed housewife share warmth and wisecracks over light bondage session.

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “After 20 years of marriage, Margaret O’Donnell has had it. But tonight, when a hit man breaks into her house to deliver her husband’s anniversary present, she manages to pull off a few surprises of her own, proving that relationships aren’t just unpredictable...sometimes they’re murder!”

What Did I Learn?: if you owe the mafia a lot of money, it’s not a bad idea to date the enforcer’s sister, and then spend all of your time in her company.

You Might Like This Movie If: You enjoy Chazz Palminteri’s lovable gangster routine, even in 30-second bits.

Really?: 1) Did this film (based on Palminteri’s play) spawn that whole gangster-in-therapy trope? It pre-dates both The Sopranos and Analyze This. 2) Why did Cher accept the $20 that was provided to her at the beginning of the film? It was offered as charity, and she clearly didn’t need the cash. That was rather tacky.

Rating: Based on the cheesy-looking VHS jacket, I didn’t expect much from Faithful. To my surprise, however, the film is actually quite watchable. Cher and Palminteri enjoy some decent chemistry, the storyline provides a few twists, and I might have even laughed once or twice. 7/10 stars.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116269/