Liev Schreiber as a Womanizer in ‘A Perfect Man’

Jeanne Tripplehorn and Liev Schreiber in "A Perfect Man." Credit IFC Films

“A Perfect Man� is a platitude-packed romance that might never have seen the light of day had its star, Liev Schreiber, not hit a career high with the success of Showtime’s “Ray Donovan.� As it is, this feature debut from Kees Van Oostrum. set in Amsterdam among the members of an unpleasant clique of upper-middle-class malcontents, is one of those projects whose very existence should baffle anyone hardy enough to endure all 94 minutes.

Working his trademark phlegmatic demeanor, Mr. Schreiber plays James, a successful architect and terminal philanderer. But when his long-suffering wife, Nina (Jeanne Tripplehorn. slumming), finally leaves after finding him thrashing around with one of her closest friends, their separation causes James to reassess his behavior. Is it possible that misogynistic alpha males are not every woman’s dream?

Written by Larry Brand and Peter Elkoff, this piece of polished fluff (Joost van Gelder’s photography makes the film easier on the eyes than on the brain) exudes a casual disdain for women that’s consistently depressing. Rather than tend to their classy careers, Nina and her friends drink and natter and enjoy morning jogs unhampered by decent support bras. And when one of James’s colleagues returns from Australia, his assessment of Melbourne — “It’s boring, like having sex with your wife� — is typical of his cohort’s romantic attitudes.

Whether staring broodily into space or fighting women off with a stick, James is a coldly repellent peg on which to hang a love story. Even his dog has more personality — and probably better morals.

A Perfect Man

Director Kees Van Oostrum

Writers Larry Brand. Peter Elkoff

Stars Jeanne Tripplehorn. Liev Schreiber. Joelle Carter. Louise Fletcher. Renée Soutendijk

Running Time 1h 35m

Movie data powered by IMDb.com
Last updated: Mar 30, 2016

Opens on Friday in Manhattan. Directed by Kees Van Oostrum 1 hour 34 minutes; not rated

A version of this review appears in print on November 1, 2013, on Page C9 of the New York edition with the headline: A Perfect Man. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe

We’re interested in your feedback on this page. Tell us what you think.