Deep Water

Roger Ebert Home Reviews #Deep #Water Brian Tallerico March 18, 2022 Deep# Water#

NOW STREAMING ON: Powered# by JustWatch There’s a lot of pressure on Adrian Lyne’s “#Deep #Water,” a #film that was basically dumped onto Hulu after Disney bought Fox and had no tolerance for a movie about horny people. Some corners of the internet have been anticipating this project as a return to “movies for adults,” a genre that has undeniably gone away in the studio production line now that almost every movie has to get a PG-13. And the fact that it’s the first film# in two decades from the director of “#Fatal Attraction” and “9 ½ Weeks” sets a standard for the #film# that might lead to disappointment. Will the “Make Movies Sexy Again” crowd give some of the storytelling bumps in “Deep Water” a pass or is this going to be further proof that the subgenre is creatively dead? Early reviews have already been divisive, and there’s no denying that #some of this feels like it’s been through editing hell, especially the final act. I’m eager to see a reportedly longer version because there’s a lot here that works, including a great Ben Affleck performance and the kind of sexual tension that #Americans #simply don’t offer in the 2020s. ADVERTISEMENT Based on the 1957 novel by Patricia Highsmith, the genius who also wrote Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley, which should give you some idea of the games being played here, “Deep Water” doesn’t waste time with the “happy days” of the Van Allen union. We meet Vic Van Allen (Affleck) and his wife Melinda (Ana de Armas) deep in the misery of a failed partnership. They have stuck together, seemingly for their daughter Trixie (Grace Jenkins), but there seems to be little love that remains between the couple. The first extended scene takes place at a party, where Melinda gets very drunk and flirts with a handsome #young man she personally invited to the soiree. In a moment alone together, Vic tells the new beau that he killed Melinda’s last lover, who's now missing. Is he kidding? The next day he claims that he is, but the basic machination of the script by Zach Helm (“Stranger Than Fiction”) and Sam Levinson (“Euphoria”) has been set in motion: #Melinda #cheats, and it’s possible that Vic kills the guys with whom Melinda cheats. ADVERTISEMENT That’s certainly what Don Wilson (Tracy Letts) thinks is #happening, and the fact that he drives the plot is a weakness that Helm & Levinson don’t really take enough time selling. Why is this man devoting so much time and capital to his theory that Vic is a murderer? Near the end, he says something about a book, which could be the only reason, but there’s also an interesting beat when Don meets Vic and they get a little heated over how Van Allen made his money—the kind of drone technology that’s used in warfare. Has Vic always seen human life as disposable? There’s a fascinating thematic undercurrent in “Deep Water” about two people who may seem very different but are both users—Melinda uses men for pleasure and to provoke her husband. She says at one point that she does so because of the way they make her feel. These are selfish creatures, two people who give into basic instincts in ways that most moral people repress. Affleck nails this simmering selfishness perfectly, #proving to be a great fit for the world of the writer who gave us Tom Ripley. There are echoes of Affleck's work in “Gone Girl” in how he captures Vic’s temperature, the way it rises every time he sees Melinda with a new lover, including ones played by Jacob Elordi and Finn Wittrock. Why doesn’t Vic just give up? The script, especially in its final act, hints at some darker themes that a longer version probably unpacks more but Affleck and De Armas sell this psychosexual dysfunction in a way that other performers would have missed. Lyne knows exactly how to use their physical beauty and #sexual chemistry on-screen, reminding viewers how rarely we see this kind of #thing between major movie stars. I’d also like to add that I thoroughly enjoy how often Lil Rel Howery keeps showing up lately and being so effective in relatively small parts (he delivers in two SXSW films this year too, “I Love My Dad” and “Spin Me Round”). He’s turning into a notable asset for those looking to fill a skeptical supporting role. ADVERTISEMENT While I suspect the abrupt, choppy ending (with a ridiculous choice for the closing credits) will leave people angry, “Deep Water” had done enough before then to win me over. It’s really a vicious piece of work, a movie made by a filmmaker who is unafraid to see the primal, darker parts that beautiful #people hide behind their gorgeous facades. It may not be the comeback that fans of Lyne’s were really hoping for, but it’s a reminder that this kind of movie can #still get #made today. Even if it may not be tomorrow. On Hulu today. THRILLER ROMANCE DRAMA Brian Tallerico Brian Tallerico Brian Tallerico is the Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and Rolling Stone, and the President of the Chicago #Film Critics Association. Now playing Great Freedom Matt Zoller Seitz Dear Mr. Brody Odie Henderson Deep Water Brian Tallerico tick, tick...Boom! Nell Minow Jane by Charlotte Nick Allen Phoenix Rising Sheila O'Malley X Film Credits Deep Water movie poster Deep Water (2022) Rated R for sexual content, nudity, language and $some violence. 115 minutes Cast Ben Affleck as Vic Van Allen Ana de Armas as Melinda Van Allen Tracy Letts as Don Wilson Grace Jenkins as Trixie Dash Mihok as Jonas Fernandez Rachel Blanchard as Kristin Peterson Kristen Connolly as Kelly Wilson Jacob Elordi as Charlie De Lisle Lil Rel Howery as Grant Brendan #Miller as Joel Dash #Jade Fernandez as Jen Fernandez Finn Wittrock as #Tony Cameron Director Adrian Lyne Writer (based upon the novel by) Patricia Highsmith Writer Sam Levinson Zach Helm Cinematographer Eigil Bryld Editor Andrew Mondshein Tim Squyres Composer Marco Beltrami Latest #blog posts Black #Film Series #and #Black Movie Hall of Fame to be Launched at the 2022 Kansas City Film Festival 12 minutes ago The 2022 Women's Voices Now Film Festival to Hold Awards Ceremony on March 24th 14 minutes ago The Power of the Dog Wins Big at the Critics Choice Awards about 23 hours ago SXSW 2022: To Leslie, The Unknown Country, A Lot of Nothing about 24 hours ago ADVERTISEMENT Comments ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Popular reviews The Batman Christy Lemire Turning Red Tomris Laffly The Lost City Abby Olcese Pam & Tommy Clint Worthington Ebert Thumbs Up The best movie reviews, in your inbox Enter your email Movie reviews Roger's Greatest Movies All Reviews Cast and crew Ebert Prime Sign Up Movie genres Action Amazon Prime Comedy Documentary Drama Horror Mystery Netflix Romance Science Fiction Suspense Thriller Blogs Reviews Chaz's Journal MZS Great Movies Far Flungers Interviews Video Games Black Writers Week Features TV/Streaming Roger Ebert Festivals & Awards Ebert Co. 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