Director Dara Frazier wastes no time dropping her leading lady into a bind in A Neglected Wife, and things only get messier in ways that might just surprise you.
Belinda Montgomery (Farryl Christina Lawson) is stuck in a marriage that’s gone cold in the bedroom. Her husband, Quincy (Devin Laster), works long hours and is barely around. When he is, he finds some excuse to dodge her every advance. Our frustrated wife confides in her friend Lynx (Ashley Clarice), admitting just how sexually starved she’s become and that her patience is quickly running out.
That’s when Cordell James (Rowe), a carpet cleaner, shows up at her door offering to clean her carpets. Belinda’s sexual fantasies go wild, but cooler heads send him away, telling him she’ll think about it, and he leaves his business card behind. The next time Quincy heads out for another late night at work, Belinda gives Cordell a call. Cordell warns her that he knows exactly why she called and that he wants more than just sex. The two engage in a torrid affair, and the guilty Belinda wants to cut it off, but Cordell reminds her it’s not about the sex.
Cordell (Rowe) and Belinda (Farryl Christina Lawson) kiss poolside in A Neglected Wife.
“That’s when Cordell James…a carpet cleaner, shows up at her door offering to clean her carpets.”
Just as things start spinning out of control, Quincy snaps out of whatever funk he had been in and wants his marriage back. He and Belinda spend a night together, and not long after, Belinda finds out she’s pregnant. Now the question is: who is the father?
Familiar is the first thing that comes to mind when watching A Neglected Wife. This is a story that Lifetime fans know all too well—a woman spurned by her husband turns to another man. For the first half, that’s exactly how it plays out. Then the second half hits, and that’s where things get interesting. One revelation flips the entire story on its head, and I’m not about to spoil it here, but stick around for it.
As a director, Dara Frazier keeps things tight. A Neglected Wife is a sexual thriller that could stand to be a little hotter and heavier. The script is the real strength here, especially once that second half kicks in—everything shifts. It’s all about pushing Belinda into a corner with Cordell and Quincy, forcing her to fight her way out.
The performances hold up as well, with plenty of passion and betrayal to go around. A Neglected Wife walks us down that familiar road and ultimately earns its twist in the end. Worth watching.
"…One revelation flips the entire story on its head."
