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 The
Deep End
 
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Goran Visnjic, Jonathan Tucker,
Peter Donat, Josh Lucas, Raymond J. Barry, Tamara Hope and Jordon
Dorrance.
Directed
by: Scott McGehee & David Siegel
Based on a novel by: Elizabeth Holding
Tilda
(-twirl) Swinton, best known for her androgynous performance as
the stylin' Orlando,
stars as Margaret Hall, a anti-climax-ish housewife drone who's
extremely calm in any given situation life happens to throw her
way. Her "nerves of steel housewife" is almost eerie
in familiarity. Reminiscent of all those moms you see shuffling
off to their kid's after school curriculums day in day out with
a gaze of submerged soulless sadness.
Margaret's
serene Dockers™ slacks and white cotton button up life is
being shakin' by it's Martha Stewart roots, as her teen age son,
Beau (Jonathan Tucker), is maturing and has developed a taste
for is fellow man. The pre adult boy is learning about
who he is sexually speaking and unfortunately
the object of Beau's desire is a nasty sordid character. The budding
man digs bad boys apparently…it doesn't help his mother's
fears that his new manly interest is heading past 30 years old
in a year or two.
So
ever the "involved" mom, Margaret (Tilda), drives off
from the sanctuary of her mundane life to a "men's"
club to confront the older lover where he works. Sure, she's got
that meek voiced Plain Jane façade, but even Harriet Homemaker
morphs into a lioness when it comes to protecting her cubs. Albeit
still a calm, subtle lioness. She tells the laughing boyfriend
to leave Beau alone and reminds him he is not even 18 yet.
The
man's a bit of a loser squared and he's determined to see the
lad again. He saunters over to the families peaceful pacific western
lake front home to smooch a little with the boy while the household
unknowingly sleeps. The boy, Beau, decides he's over Mr. Suave,
it's going to be painful, but he must move on to his next smit
and, of course, college. Words are exchanged between the two moonlight
loves as they get into a bit of fisticuffs by the stars and, oops,
the older lover is dead.
Mother
discovers the body and does a cracker jack job of 86ing the body.
She approaches the deed with the same drive that she might organize
a local food drive for the underprivileged. Though Margaret's
not experienced and hiding a cadaver she's an expert at manning
the household helm, as her husband, is perpetually "at sea"
in the service, and murder covering up is all in a days house
work...
As
she returns to her picture perfect family life on the lake after
the momentary exit into a murder's psyche, a shady stranger emerges.
Enter the quintessential sleaze monger, Alek ( Goran Visnjic)
from parts unknown. He advises he is pretty much aware of Beau's
affair due to the little home made video de man-o-man her son
made with newly deceased loverman. Alek wants money, natch, to
keep the whole thing quiet and the drama truly begins.
Margaret
is not having a good week.
The
film does a wonderful job of giving you the sense of this woman's
weighing responsibilities and fierce loyalty to her family. You
find yourself agreeing with her every move, and even coaching
the screen a bit when her decisions are, in your opinion wrong.
You even feel Margaret, calmly, does what most any mother would
do in that kind of a predicament. And The Deep End is a beautiful
film, but it just moved too slowly for me.
The character's were too obvious. The grandfather character (Peter
Donat) that ultimately becomes a turning point in plot direction,
was so laughable and loud compared to Tilda's nearly monotoned
performance, it was almost unnerving and distracting each time
he appeared on screen.
 The
movie had also the kiss of death for one's suspension of belief;
too many scenes were so unbelievable you found yourself whispering,
"oh come on." We are just not this gulible any longer.
Sure,
Swinton's a great actress, but she was so calm in this it felt
as if she'd been drugged. Tilda Swinton was ultra smooth. Though,
I felt she was so calm through out the film, I was being lulled
to sleep at times. The boy, Jonathan Tucker, did a wonderful job
at being both innocently and clueless as most teens are when it
comes to things like, murder, and thankfully.
This
Goran Visnjic, from ER, is a handsome fellow. No Clooney, but
he'll suffice in the man you
have to look at for two-hours department. While his Alek was sufficiently
creepy and despicable at first, the character changes momentum
too easily midfilm and you get that warm at the earsfeeling your
being manipulated too quickly certainly the end of the film must
near. His performance, minus the nano-second change of personality
his character experiences, was notable.
.
The film is slow and often drags to the point of boring; for a
suspense film that's not too good. There were no knuckles clenched
to the seat scenes, no big mysteries being discovered, and quite
frankly nothing that made this particularly memorable. Wait for
rental.
Snack recommendation: No Doze
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