Beauty, love and deception all collide in the highest social circles of early 20th century New York in the film The House of Mirth.

The film is an adaptation of the Edith Wharton novel of the same name, which revolves around the story of Lily Bart (Gillian Anderson).

Life is good for Lily as she runs with the highest order of socialite mogul, and leads a life of luxury and privilege. She never has to work for any of it.

However, Lily begins to feel the pressure to marry while she is still beautiful and in demand. She discovers that playing flirting games with the one man she truly loves, Lawrence Selden (Eric Stoltz), is not helping her chances of snagging a husband.

She cannot marry Lawrence because he isn’t appropriately wealthy, and the few men that she would have are often frightened away by her reputation as a flirt and gambler.

Unbeknownst to Lily, she is about to experience betrayal by her friends and be cast down from the lap of luxury.

The House of Mirth may center on Gillian Anderson, made famous for her role in the television series The X-Files, but stars like Dan Aykroyd and laura Linney also shine within the film.

Aykroyd makes a departure from his normal comedic roles and ventures into the darker side of the human spirit as Gus Trenor, a wealthy banker who attempts to take advantage of an unsuspecting Lily after she casually flaunts her flirtatious nature around him.

Linney plays a heartless woman who pretends to be friends with Lily only to satisfy her own selfish goals.

House of Mirth provides great high society visuals, such as elaborate period costumes and stunning locales, and combines them with an enthralling plotline.

In the end, the film delivers on all counts and gives the viewer a cinema experience well worth the ticket price.

The House of Mirth is now playing at the Regal Downtown West Cinemas 8.

Rating: A-