★★½
Deep Water is an erotic thriller from director Adrian Lyne. It stars Ben Affleck, Ana de Armas, and has a slew of equally gifted actors together with Jacob Elordi, Rachel Blanchard, Finn Wittrock, Kristen Connolly, and Lil Rel Howery. The film itself is a gradual burn with stress and intrigue all through.
The state of Vic (Affleck) and Melinda’s (de Armas) relationship is proven early, as they’re seen going into completely different bedrooms. Their marriage is an unhealthy tackle open relationships as Melinda is allowed to soak up lovers whereas Vic is emotionally distant. They each need one thing from one another and are unwilling to provide in to what the opposite particular person wants. Their distinctive dynamic takes a flip when he begins to play thoughts video games along with her. The overarching query quickly turns from “What kind of relationship is that this?” to “When will the opposite shoe drop?” Sadly, for some who wish to learn forward, it won’t really feel like that shoe ever drops.
The appearing is great. Each Affleck and de Armas do a superb job of their roles. de Armas drips with sexuality and is equal components seductive and naïve. Anger and neglect seethe beneath her doe eyes. Affleck’s Vic is stoic and sophisticated. There may be an anger and jealousy beneath that stoicism due to what’s unfolding in entrance of him. Nevertheless, he’s fast to indicate his mushy aspect along with his daughter Trixie (performed by an cute Grace Jenkins) and the assorted pets in the home.
That being stated, it may be tough to root for both of them. Melinda seems heartless as she toys with Vic’s feelings. Vic is distant and comes off as chilly towards her even from the start. But, beneath all that resentment and jealousy, there’s a real chemistry and attraction seen of their eyes after they gaze longingly at one another.
That is Lyne’s style of alternative as he’s recognized for guiding Deadly Attraction, Indecent Proposal, and Untrue. He does job retaining the stress as he dangles a mess of various pink herrings in entrance of the viewer’s eyes. The beauty of pink herrings is that they’re ultimately defined, however this film doesn’t clarify something. Nice writers and administrators don’t maintain their viewers’s hand by spending valuable film minutes explaining what’s going on in agonizing element. Nevertheless, generally it may really feel like the other is extra agonizing, when too many questions are left unanswered.
Deep Water is an adaptation of a 1957 e-book of the identical identify, written by Patricia Highsmith (who additionally wrote The Gifted Mr. Ripley). Whereas the film is crammed with nice actors who do an exquisite job, it seems like a superficial model of the story. There are plot factors within the e-book that are lacking from the film. The ending additionally takes a distinct flip. When the story was first penned in 1957, divorce wasn’t as widespread. Within the e-book, they comply with keep collectively for the household. Nevertheless, the concept this pair, who brazenly flaunt their turmoil in entrance of their daughter, need to keep collectively for the household feels virtually foolish in a time when divorce is way more widespread.
Whereas not a “should see,” Deep Water is entertaining and never a horrible option to spend two hours.
