Deep Water review by Bobby Blakey
I have been a fan Ana de Armas since I first saw her in 2015s Knock Knock. The same can be said for Affleck all the way back to Mallrats. Now the two are teaming up for their latest film Deep Water from 9 ½ Weeks, Fatal Attraction and Jacob’s Ladder director Adrian Lyne based on the celebrated novel by famed mystery writer Patricia Highsmith. IS this film another notch on Lyne’s belt in the erotic thriller genre or will it fail to be faithful?
Deep Water follows Vic and Melinda Van Allen, a couple in the small town of Little Wesley. Their loveless marriage is held together only by a precarious arrangement whereby, in order to avoid the messiness of divorce, Melinda is allowed to take any number of lovers as long as she does not desert her family. Vic becomes fascinated with the unsolved murder of one of Melinda's former lovers, Malcolm McRae, and, in order to successfully drive away her current fling, takes credit for the killing. When the real murderer is apprehended, Vic's claims are interpreted by the community as dark jokes.
Heading into this film the trailer didn’t offer much up, which was a good thing. All we really had was the knowledge that Affleck and de Armas had a real life relationship after filming and have since moved on with their lives now that it is finally out. They have great chemistry in the film, but not in the way you might think. There is an interesting connection that is loving, dysfunctional and hateful all at once.
My initial reaction to this film was a bit off as I couldn’t really decide if I enjoyed it or not, but that was mostly the structure of the whole thing. It is interesting and there is always something that feels not quite right and uncomfortable, but I think that is by design. Ana de Armas is clearly all in as an over the top outgoing party girl who is living life by her own terms and
doesn’t care who knows it. Affleck appears to be holding it in and almost walking through the motions, but by design to create that uncomfortable nature he is feeling and making the viewer feel it as well.
While there is an erotic nature here it was a bit more toned down than I had expected. That doesn’t mean it’s not here, but a lot of it is more implied which I think was so that we keep feeling and seeing how Affleck is feeling in the situation. There is also the element of murder and intrigue that keeps you guess even though you are pretty sure you know the truth it keeps twisting the story until the very end.
This is one of those movies that isn’t great, but it isn’t bad either. It is slow paced, but engaging. It is sexy, but mysterious. It brings all the elements that Lyne has brought to his films in this genre before that will either suck you in with the experience or drive you away with the pacing.
Decide for yourself and check out Deep Water when it streams exclusively on Hulu on March 17th.