Debra Winger and Tracy Letts play a couple in the last stages of marriage in "The Lovers." She's having an affair with a younger man, and he's having an affair with a ballet teacher. Both partners excel in creative excuses for getting home late. "The Lovers" has the benefit of a couple of nifty plot twists that jolt things nicely. It also has the benefit of two great actors. It's really interesting to see Debra Winger as a senior adult. Tracy Letts equals Winger's performance, particularly in a confrontation with his wife's lover. "The Lovers" avoids the usual, and rarely does the expected. As real as Winger and Letts seem, a visit from the couple's son (played by Tyler Ross) rings false. Letts' lover (Melora Walters) comes off so shrewish, I wanted to shout "Drop her quick!" at the screen. Winger's lover (Aidan Gillen) doesn't look up to the challenge of the relationship. The leads save the show. This comedy of middle-age angst feels French, in the best sense of the word. "The Lovers" 2½ stars, rated "R." Does it deliver what it promises? Marriage boredom for laughs. Is it entertaining? The leads are great, but some story points fall flat. Is it worth the price of admission? Worth watching.
