Adrian Lyne's absolutely insane return to the director's chair is a pitch-black comedy that skewers his previous protagonists while slyly commentating on the current cinematic state of affairs. Lyne, known for his erotic thrillers such as Indecent Proposal and Fatal Attraction has not made a film in two decades, and if Deep Water is any indication, he's not lost a step, but possible gained some restraint. Featuring an absolutely hysterical pair of performances, lush suburban visuals, and some of the most genuinely uncomfortable sex scenes imaginable, this is a stellar return to the director's chair.
Vic and Melinda have a poisonous marriage, kept together by their commitment to their daughter and an understanding that Melinda can have extramarital affairs. Between the verbal fencing and endless cocktail parties, bodies begin to stack up, with all eyes on the troubled couple. Zach Helm and Sam Levinson's script, based upon Patricia Highsmith's novel, is a strange beast. It is extremely clear from the onset that this is a film about people with unimaginable privilege, so much so that Eigil Bryld's crisp cinematography has a synthetic quality, especially during the many party sequences that are dappled throughout.
The erotic thriller has, for the most part died. As adult oriented cinema continues to vanish from theaters, it is refreshing to see an attempt at a return, however, this is almost a deconstruction of the genre, viewed through a post metoo lens and the result is a Stepford-esque inversion of many of the genre's tried and true tropes. Affleck's Vic is an interesting foil to Ana de Armas' Melinda. Lyne's dynasty revolves around upstanding white men whose lives are harried by the women in their orbit and while initially this seems the same, it becomes clear that Vic is no angel, and while Lyne's similar protagonists have their flaws, Affleck's Vic is menacing, borderline psychotic and this serves as an enhancement to the formula.
Everything about this
film is off the rails in the best possible way. Characters make
ridiculous choices, there is an obsession with public cuckholding, and snails
play an interesting part, yet, viewers expecting a repeat of 9 1/2 Weeks
a la Escargo will be disappointed. The world of this small, Louisiana community
is like an alien landscape filled with rich, interconnected people who know
everything about everyone at all times. There's no mystery, only drama,
perhaps due to the fact that these are people without any real cares or
concerns and the viewer cannot help but to be sucked into the insanity.
This echoes into the sexual sequences, which are hilariously awkward and chaste, considering the maestro orchestrating them. Is this a reflection of the current state of the erotic thriller or a commentary on the state of affairs for the rich and powerful in modern America? Time will tell. Expectations of the menace and sultry pleasures of Lyne's other features are lowered and side checked in favor of the two bravura performances on display, who could only exist in this illogical mirror of reality. If there is a weakness, it is the final act, which simultaneously goes completely awry while also not going far enough, but the final credits serve as an ameliorating factor.
Now streaming on
Hulu, Deep Water, sadly, is not the herald that signals the return of
the erotic thriller. It is a reminder of the past and the foundation that
Lyne helped to create. As the world continues to progress and change for
the (hopefully) better, this is a film that understands the past is important,
but adaptation is essential for survival. Come for the truly beautiful
people on screen, stay for the absolutely bonkers Hijinx, leave with an
understanding that they simply do not make them like they used to.
--Kyle Jonathan