Deep water 202210/22/2023 ![]() ★★ĭrama | Cert: 18 | Hulu/Amazon Studios | Amazon Prime Video, March 18th | Dir.Even though Bennifer is still going strong, we can reminisce on Ben Affleck’s last relationship with a catchy couple name, Benana. For their part, both Affleck and de Armas blossom under Lyne’s direction and both produce solid turns (as do the snails) but like the film itself, are held back from fully revealing themselves as much as we, and they, probably would have hoped but the trifecta saves the film from complete collapse. It’s flat and dull where it should be generating said subtlety and depth, lacking anything of the thrills and intrigue you’d expect from such an endeavour, and although the sub-genre lends itself to dark humour and trashier moments, this lands the wrong side on all counts. Ripley, wrote the original novel that was praised for its depth and subtlety in dealing with the loveless marriage at its centre, big shoes for screenwriters Zach Helm and Sam Levinson (the latter the brains behind current television monster Euphoria) to fill in bringing it into the 21st century. The legendary Patricia Highsmith, who brought us Carol and The Talented Mr. But where his previous works were supported by a strong, intriguing narrative, Deep Water doesn’t, dropping like a stone to the bottom of the pond without any chance of re-emerging on the surface. ![]() His sharp, intimate style is unique and it’s refreshing to see his visual nouse return, landing in the same sandbox as many of his previous films: themes of obsession, jealousy, waivering love, and infidelity are those than Lyne has thrived in previously and, despite feeling a little rusty, it’s nice to have him back. ![]() You can see why Lyne was drawn so much to Deep Water as it suits both his appetite for exploring relationships, marriage, and the jealousy therein and allows him to return behind the camera into a world that feels familiar. Nothing comes of it, but the event’s reverberations continue as Melinda continues to bring home a long line of flings home far too frequently and similar events begin to surface. ![]() Melinda flaunts her flirtatious personality in front of Vic as he tries to hide his noticeable anger, and when one of her reported lovers turns up dead, his name is bandied around as the killer, and even makes jokes himself about the fact. Vic Van Allen ( Ben Affleck) is a self-made millionaire and is living the life fantastic but his marriage is on the rocks: his wife Melinda ( Ana de Armas) has fallen out of love with her husband and has told him so but fearing a costly divorce, as well as the welfare of their young daughter, the two endure an uneasy relationship of mind games and double bluffs. “The love story is never the whole story,” says the tagline for the film, and, intriguingly, that sets everything up quite nicely. However, after 2002’s underrated Unfaithful – for which star Diane Lane was nominated for an Oscar – he retreated but now, with Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas in tow, he’s resurfaced but has Hollywood and his favourite sub-genre moved on? Making his name with 1980’s coming-of-age drama Foxes with Jodie Foster, he began an extraordinary run of success with Flashdance, 9 ½ Weeks, Fatal Attraction, and finally Indecent Proposal, which catapulted him into the upper echelons of Hollywood filmmaking royalty and to the top of the league as the “erotic thriller” go-to man. It’s been twenty years since any film directed by Adrian Lyne has graced us with its presence and, frankly, we’ve been sick of waiting but finally, the legendary director is back. The prospect of the return of one of cinema’s most controversial and most daring filmmakers is cause for some sort of celebration.
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