Wife tests husband’s loyalty in ‘Chloe’

Movie: "Chloe"

When: Opening Friday at local theaters

Cast: Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried

Director: Atom Egoyan

The story: When a doctor suspects her professor husband of infidelity, she hires the title escort to seduce him -- and test his loyalty.

The buzz: Canada's Egoyan, a two-time Oscar nominee for "The Sweet Hereafter," adapts the 2003 French drama "Nathalie" for this steamy drama, which debuted at last year's Toronto film festival. (Gérard Depardieu, Emmanuelle Béart and Fanny Ardant originated the roles now played by Neeson, Seyfried and Moore, respectively.) Seyfried, after wholesome roles in "Mamma Mia!" and "Dear John," enjoys a definite change of pace as the manipulative title escort. And if Neeson's performance seems particularly anguished, there's a real-life reason: This is the movie he was filming when his wife, Natasha Richardson, suffered the skiing accident and brain injury that led to her sudden, shocking death in March 2009. Shortly after her death, Neeson returned to the set and completed his performance.