Lambert Wilson stars in The Leading Man as a highly respected English playwright whose life is falling apart: His beautiful, volatile Italian wife (Anna Galiena) is tiring of his infidelity, and his mistress (Thandie Newton) is pressing him to leave his wife so they can live together openly. Into Wilson's joyless existence comes hope in the form of Jon Bon Jovi, an American movie star who comes to England to star in Wilson's new play—and in the process makes him an offer he can't refuse: He volunteers to seduce his wife in return for an undisclosed favor to be named later. Wilson reluctantly agrees, but soon comes to see Bon Jovi as a reckless mercenary out to take over his life. Chief among The Leading Man's strengths is its refusal to clarify the intentions of Bon Jovi's character: The audience never knows whether Bon Jovi is falling in love with Galiena or if it's all just an act designed to drive Wilson to despair. The entire film hinges on Bon Jovi's performance, because if the audience doesn't find him as charming and mysterious as Galiena does, the whole thing falls apart. Luckily, he rises to the challenge. What he lacks in experience, he more than makes up for in movie-star charisma: With his cowboy swagger and slightly malevolent charm, he's captivating, and supported by a fine cast that includes seasoned vets Barry Humphries and David Warner. And while The Leading Man never quite rises above the level of an extremely well-made episode of Masterpiece Theatre, complete with a tidy ending, it's still a compelling, worthwhile little sleeper.