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'La Mujer De Mi Hermano': Soap opera on screen

While surfing the television dial, have you ever paused on the Hispanic soap operas? You can get a taste of that guilty pleasure in the art-house wannabe La Mujer De Mi Hermano (My Brother's Wife), a beautifully photographed, tawdry tale of forbidden love, plus many other melodramatic themes tossed in as afterthoughts.

Lions Gate Films 'La Mujer De Mi Hermano' C- The verdict: A steamy tale of adultery, all in the family, in this soap operatic saga starring the gorgeous Mori. Director: Ricardo de Montreuil Starring: Bárbara Mori, Christian Meier, Manolo Cardona, Gaby Espino, Beto Cuevas, Bruno Bichir, Angélica Aragón Run time: 89 minutes Release date: November 4, 2005 Rating: R for sexuality and language See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime [an error occurred while processing this directive]

Maybe it is not the cinematography, but expert casting, for it is hard to imagine Uruguayan-born knockout Barbara Mori, a star of Spanish-language TV, looking anything but gorgeous. As Zoe, the frustrated wife of preoccupied executive Ignacio (Christian Meier), it is just as hard to fathom her being neglected by him.

That is how she ends up in the arms, and the bed, of Ignacio's sensitive, visual artist younger brother, Gonzalo (Manolo Cardona). Zoe resists Gonzalo's advances, but not very firmly and not for long, once they cuddle horizontally when Ignacio is away on a business trip. Ay, caramba!

That might be enough for a soap opera episode, but not a feature film, so screenwriter Jaime Bayly tosses in homosexuality, childhood abuse and the possibility of abortion. The only mystery is why there are no heavy-handed pipe organs to underscore each emotional crisis.

My Brother's Wife is Peruvian director Ricardo de Montreuil's first feature film, shot in Chile, but set in Mexico City, and already a box office hit in Latin America. Similar success here seems unlikely, but do not bet against some enterprising Hollywood agent signing up Mori and turning her into the new Paz Vega (Spanglish).