One of the most anticipated movies is finally out for the viewers. “Deep Water” was originally going to be released in 2020. But due to Covid -19, there was a delay in the release date multiple times until now. The movie featured on 18 March 2022 on Hulu and Amazon Prime. It is an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel with the same name that was released in 1957.
“Deep Water” is a psychological–erotic thriller, rated as ‘R’ due to violence, crude language, sexual content, and nudity shown in it, with a run time of 2 hours 33mins (153 minutes).
This is a story about a married couple who on the outside is picture-perfect. But in reality, have a very loveless and passionless marriage. They live in a very tight – knight community and have to pretend they are very much in love. The wife craves passion, which the husband lacks in a huge amount so they enter an agreement. The wife can have lovers as long as she doesn’t break their family which includes their daughter.
However, the husband is obsessed when the wife starts going around with her lovers, whom she refers to as “friends”. This also becomes a problem because it starts to attract a lot of unwanted attention from the community. The mind games this couple play is not only dangerous for them but to those who are somehow entangled with them too.
Cast
This movie has many big actors, starting with the lead role of Vic Van Allen(husband) played by the very famous Ben Affleck, and the lead female starring Ana de Armas as Melinda Van Allen(wife). Grace Jenkins is playing Trixie Van Allen, their daughter. The movie also has big names like Tracy Letts Jason Wilson, Lil Rel HoweryasGrant, Dash MitrokasJonas Fernandez, Brandon C. Miler as Joel Dash, Jacob ElordiasCharlie De Lisle, and Finn WittrockasTony Cameron.
Production and Crew
Adrian Lyne directed Deep Waters (known for the movies “Fatal Attraction” and “9½ Weeks”). And it is produced by Aron Milchan, Philip Keel, Steven Zaillian, Benjamin Forkner, Anthony Katagas, Guymon Casady, and Garrett Basch. The screenplay is by Zach Helm and Sam Levinson, music is by Marco Beltrami
Critics Response
With the amount of hype, this movie created, one would think the movie would be exceptional. But in fact, this movie received some mixed reviews.
Peter Debruge says, “sexy and plenty entertaining, mind you, but it’s just not very useful insofar as what it says about real relationship”. Justin Chang says, “The story barrels towards its startlingly abrupt finish”.
While Eric Eisenberg gives the movie 2.5/5 he says, “Despite a fascinating performance by Ana de Armas as the wholly unlikeable Melinda, the playoff to the tension buildup lacks satisfaction”.
Looks like the movie didn’t satisfy the need of the critics, now the question is should we waste our time on this movie or skip this and watch another? Now this movie does have the drama of consented cheating wife an obsessed husband and troubling life of people involved in the couple’s life, I say stream it. It will be fun to watch how this dysfunctional couple solves their problems or create more for one another.
