Faithless review

With its themes of regret, forgiveness and redemption, Liv Ullmann's sure-handed adaptation of her one-time director Ingmar Bergman's script can't help but play like some kind of Bergman: Best Of.

There's still plenty that's good about this emotionally raw tale of an adulterous carry-on between a theatre director, David (Krister Henriksson), and his best mate's wife, Marianne (Lena Endre), and Ullmann's refreshingly restrained direction draws out intense performances from all involved.

But as the story unravels through an aged Bergman stand-in, Faithless begins to feel like an emotional jigsaw puzzle made up of pieces from Bergman's life and films. By the end, it's tough to tell if you're watching Ullmann's sensitive study in pain or Bergman's obsessive self-indulgence.