If movies have taught us anything, it is that nothing good ever comes of cheating on your spouse. Michael Douglas learned the same in Fatal Attraction and, at the other end of the genre spectrum, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau learned the same in The Other Woman. Now, it appears to be the turn of Josh Duhamel, as he finds himself caught in a ‘honey-trap’ in Misconduct – for which we now have a trailer.
The all-star cast makes the film seem very impressive. Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, Malin Akerman, Julia Stiles and Alice Eve all join Duhamel in working hard to hit the right notes in the script by Simon Boyes (Hangman) and newcomer Adam Mason. However, if this trailer is anything to go by, the entire endeavour is at risk of collapsing under its own, hefty weight.
Duhamel stars as a young lawyer who attempts to face down a senior and well-connected pharmaceutical executive (Anthony Hopkins). However, as the executive ensnares him with extra-marital activities, courtesy of Malin Akerman, it is no longer just his case at risk. Now, he is fighting for his career and his personal life.
Misconduct is directed by Shintaro Shimosawa, who makes his debut here. He is a producer of The Grudge franchise and has written for a number of television series, including The Following and Intelligence. He has assembled an enviable group of performers, but it remains to be seen whether his first time behind the camera will draw a nuanced performance from his cast, or whether – as the trailer suggests – this might be leaning more toward the ‘pantomime’ end of the dramatic spectrum. It’s use of female characters certainly seems to suggest that is the case – as with any narrative that employs the use of a ‘honey-trap’ instigated by a man, to ruin a man.
All will be revealed when Misconduct is released in 2016.
