- There is considerable pressure on Adrian Lyne’s “Deep Water,” a film that was essentially thrown on Hulu when Disney acquired Fox and expressed opposition to a picture about horny people. Certain sections of the internet have been awaiting this project as a comeback to “adult films,” a genre that has definitely vanished from the studio production line in the age of PG-13 certification. And the fact that it is the director’s first picture in two decades sets a bar for the film that may result in disappointment. Will the “Make Movies Sexy Again” audience overlook some of “Deep Water’s” narrative flaws, or will this serve as additional confirmation that the subgenre is artistically dead? Early reviews have been mixed, and there’s no denying that portions of this film, particularly the closing act, seem as if they’ve gone through editing hell. I’m looking forward to seeing the apparently extended version since there is a much here that succeeds, including a terrific Ben Affleck performance and the type of sexual tension that Americans just do not deliver in the 2020s.
- Based on the 1957 book by Patricia Highsmith, the mastermind behind Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley, which should give you an indication of the games being played here, “Deep Water” skips over the Van Allen union’s “happy days.” Vic Van Allen (Affleck) and his wife Melinda (Ana de Armas) are trapped in the squalor of a failed relationship when we meet them. They have remained together, ostensibly for the sake of their daughter Trixie (Grace Jenkins), but there seems to be little love left between them. The first long scene takes place at a party, during which Melinda becomes quite inebriated and flirts with an attractive young guy whom she personally invited. Vic informs the new beau, during a time alone together, that he murdered Melinda’s previous boyfriend, who is now gone. Is he serious? The next day, he claims to be, but the writing by Zach Helm (“Stranger Than Fiction”) and Sam Levinson (“Euphoria”) has already begun: Melinda cheats, and Vic may assassinate the men with whom Melinda cheats.
- That is definitely what Don Wilson (Tracy Letts) believes is occurring, and the fact that he is the plot’s driving force is a flaw Helm & Levinson do not adequately convey. Why is this guy dedicating so much time and resources to proving Vic is a murderer? Near the end, he mentions a book, which may be the only reason, but there is also an intriguing moment when Don meets Vic and they get a bit hot about how Van Allen gained his money—by developing the kind of drone technology used in warfare. Vic has always seen human life as expendable? “Deep Water” has an intriguing thematic subtext about two individuals who seem to be diametrically opposed yet are both users—Melinda uses guys for pleasure and to irritate her husband. At one point, she states that she does so because of how they make her feel. These are self-centered beings, two individuals who succumb to fundamental impulses in ways that the majority of decent people resist.
- Affleck captures this seething selfishness to perfection, demonstrating a natural match for the universe created by the author of Tom Ripley. There are parallels of Affleck’s work in “Gone Girl” in the way he depicts Vic’s fever rising each time he sees Melinda with a new lover, including Jacob Elordi and Finn Wittrock. Why is Vic refusing to give up? The screenplay, particularly in its last act, alludes to some darker topics that a longer version would almost certainly investigate more fully, but Affleck and De Armas sell this psychosexual dysfunction in a manner that other actors might miss. Lyne is an expert at using their physical attractiveness and sexual chemistry on-screen, reminding audiences how uncommon it is to witness this kind of thing amongst prominent film actors. I’d also want to mention how much I like how often Lil Rel Howery has been appearing recently and being so great in little roles (he also appears in two SXSW films this year, “I Love My Dad” and “Spin Me Round”). He’s becoming into a significant asset for those seeking a sceptical supporting part.
- While I’m sure the sudden, choppy finish (along with a terrible decision for the closing titles) would enrage some, “Deep Water” had already won me over. It’s a really terrible piece of work, a film done by a director who is daring to explore the primitive, darker sides of attractive people hidden behind their stunning exteriors. While this is not the return that Lyne’s admirers had hoped for, it serves as a reminder that this kind of film can still be created today. Even if it is unlikely to be tomorrow.
- Today on Hulu.
