At a key juncture in the film "The Lovers," the character of Mary played by Debra Winger exclaims, "We're messed up, but we're not bad people." At least one character in the film, Joel, who is the son Mary and her husband Michael (Tracy Letts),punches a hole in the wall in the family home and turns into a bull in a china stop because he genuinely feels that his parents are bad people.

The DVD format of "The Lovers" includes a lengthy bonus segment entitled "A Complicated Passion--Making the Lovers." Writer-director Azazel Jacobs explains that the film "came out of a strange period of my life." In his attempt to devise an autobiographical film, Jacobs saw the family home as a kind of theatre with the characters self-consciously "putting on an act."

Indeed, the film has the feel of a work of theatre in primarily a four-character play. The dramatic tension is built between a husband and wife who are both having affairs and contemplating ending their marriage. Much of the dialogue is sentimental, anticipating a reconciliation of Mary and Michael.

The two lovers of the married couple, a ballet instructor and a strange man who appears to be a wannabe actor, both approach the respective husband and wife at one point, warning about the impending break-up. It was in those disturbing moments that the film began to get truly ugly.

A major problem with this film was whether this was a romantic comedy, a dark-edged drama, or a domestic tragedy. Actress Debra Winger offered a pinpoint analysis in the bonus segment when she confessed that "chaos is so overwhelming." While the film was successful in delivering the chaos of a middle-aged couple's troubled marriage, it was also a stylistic jumble as a slow-paced and rather depressing slice of life.

Mary (Debra Winger) and Michael (Tracy Letts) are in a troubled marriage. They are trying to keep up appearance before the visit of their son and his girlfriend. Mary is having an affair with Robert (Aidan Gillen) and Michael with Lucy (Melora Walters). There may still be something in their marriage.

It's great to have Debra Winger back as a big screen lead. She still has flashes of the old fire. The love lives are muddled which makes them less compelling for me. I couldn't hold on to their marriage or wonder if I can root for its dissolution. The affair partners don't have enough screen time. I also wonder if concentrating on one lead would heighten the emotional impact. While it's nice to have the visit, the effects are not long lasting.

"The Lovers" is one of those complex movies about the ups and downs of love and life it proves that marriage and relationships are complex and hard to understand. Debra Winger(nice to see some work again from the veteran)is Mary a middle aged married woman who's involved with someone else and on the side her husband Michael(Tracy Letts)is also involved in a game of hot passion with someone else from the opposite sex. Oddly enough the marriage and relationship for both Mary and Michael takes a turn and spin to where they both find a spark of passion and romance between them as it's now hot and wild under the sheets. Thru it all the truth is revealed for a new life path for both still love, passion, and romance leads both Michael and Mary back to being lovers of each other! Overall good romance drama take on the complex ways of life, love, passion and marriage.