Damage

This glossy study of sexual obsession benefits from a trio of great performances and remains a decent memorial to former New Waver Louis Malle, who went on to make only one more film.

When respectable MP Flemming (Jeremy Irons) is introduced to his son's fiancee Anna (Juliet Binoche) the physical chemistry is instant and irresistible. Within days they're meeting for silent carnal encounters in London, oblivious to anything but their own insatiable lust.

Beyond sex, it's not always clear what motivates the couple, though Irons appears to relish being reduced to his basic needs and Binoche refers to an incestuous relationship with her now-dead brother. The real show stopper, though, is Miranda Richardson as Flemming's wife. Understated throughout, her eventual breakdown is driven by the same primal energy as her husband's encounters with Anna.

It's a film that explores the same territory as Last Tango In Paris and, like Bernardo Bertolucci's brutal portrayal of anonymous sex, startling performances go a long way to compensating for the marathon arty sex scenes.