By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: David Siegel | Scott McGehee
Starring: Goran Visnjic | Jonathan Tucker | TildaSwinton
Country: united_states
Year: 2001
Running time: 99
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250323/reference
Bob says: “Tilda Swinton’s performance in THE DEEP END pretty much carries the movie. The only other films I’ve seen her in were ARIA (which doesn’t really count) and ORLANDO, in which she was just terrific. She seems to have a way of turning her face into a blank and then slowly bringing signs of thought and feeling into it. It’s really something to see. I would add that Goran (I’m not a doctor but I play one even when I’m not playing one) Visnjic did an excellent job, but the rest of the cast was pretty forgettable.
“I also think the film had something worthwhile to say about society’s (hopefully) changing views of gender roles and sexual identities. We’re presented with a fairly typical (albeit overly comfortable) American family in which the following factors are taken for granted and never either bemoaned or praised: an absent father, a useless and completely in the dark grandfather (he shows his authority when he forbids his grandson to go on a helicopter ride that already took place some ten years earlier!), a mother who is in charge of absolutely everything, a daughter who is both a ballet dancer and a grease monkey, and a son who is gay. I’ve seen a few people (not here) write that the son is closeted, that the mother discovers this during the film and immediately supports him, and that the point of the blackmail is a matter of outing him and shaming a family with a naval background, but I didn’t see any indication that that was the case. The mother disapproves of Beau’s relationship with Darby because of the age difference and the fact that Darby got her son into trouble and nearly got him killed. Not that any of this is revolutionary, but it’s nice to see it being treated as nothing more than background.”
Hilary says: “Stunning cinematography, indeed. The aquarium shot stood out , but the shot through the drip from the kitchen faucet was the one that most impressed me.
“I agree that Tilda Swinton was amazing — so strong and yet so fragile at the same time. Her fierce protection of Beau, and her family as a whole, even amidst the blackmail proceedings was well-demonstrated, without getting too preachy.
I liked the juxtaposition of the ‘traditional’ gender roles/sexual identities within the family, as with Swinton acting as both parents during her husband’s long absences, the mechanic/ballerina daughter, and so on, as others have discussed. I would agree that it was more the specific relationship with an older, dangerous man that made her upset, rather than the fact of her son’s sexuality. The real conflict would’ve existed between the son and his (absent) father. But that’s another film…
“I disagree regarding Goran Visjnic. No, it wasn’t a career-making performance, but it wasn’t terrible either. Although the expectation is that he’ll be menacing from the outset, due to the nature of his ‘business’, instead we see that he is sympathetic, perhaps thrown off-balance by the strength and honesty Swinton shows. I would venture a guess that his character is fairly one-note, as scripted, a mere foil to his partner, a man who clearly has no moral center and is just in it for the money.”
Kevin says: “THE DEEP END is a good film, about a mother (played by Tilda Swinton) who confronts her 17-year-old son’s 30-year-old boyfriend, ending in dire consequences. Swinton’s performance is better than the film itself. Great cinematography. The three main characters are wonderfully complex, but the rest are very broad cliches…some of the sub-plots sink into mediocrity, which keeps this from being truly great.” 3 1/2 cats
Laura says: “I really went for this unusual tale in a big way and will be sure to be nominating it for Swinton, Tucker, cinematography and maybe more…this one could be controversial though as it has many detractors.”
For Laura’s complete review: “http://www.reelingreviews.com/thedeepend.htm”
Marilyn says: “After all the critical comments, I am almost afraid to write but, this movie is up among my top five this year….I have seen a lot of really dreadful movies but I was totally engrossed in this one. Swinton pulled me in and never let go. I was inside her from the get go. She was the lioness protecting her cub even when it meant going into places she didn’t want to be and confronting people when that was clearly not her style either…but it is what you do to protect someone you love. The movie was creative in its photography as so many have already mentioned…the non-kiss at the ending was amazing and wrenching… the only real tenderness in the film. There was so much separation and cold. The use of water may have gotten a little tedious and usually it is meant to soothe but here it is not. I thought the placing of the body in shallow water was a little strange but then I was the cool-headed observer (a Monday morning quarterback, if you will forgive the comparison) not the participant and panic can make you do things that are not very reasonable in hindsight. Her panic was everywhere and and yet it never erupted through her surface. I also liked the son and Goran…who plays a much different character on ER….the one scene where he does the CPR brought a chuckle from my audience. I really liked this film. It was a tense, engaging movie. It definitely had me and that doesn’t happen too often.”
Michael says: “Stunning Swinton in a disappointing Deep End…
“I was very disappointed by THE DEEP END. I had really been looking forward to this film, and ultimately it just floundered and didn’t work for me. There were things I enjoyed about the film, but overall, I must say I was left with a negative feeling.
“Clearly, the best thing about this film, and I think most people would agree, is Tilda Swinton’s performance. (I adored her starring turn in FEMALE PERVERSIONS, as well as her biting supporting role in LOVE IS THE DEVIL.) I found her to be magnificent. In fact, during the first half hour or so of the movie, all sorts of stunning superlatives were running through my mind with regard to her performance. I was blown away. Her physical presence, her careful way of speaking, and as Bob mentioned, the slow awareness of thought and feeling that spreads across her face without her having to speak. Really terrific.
“And as others have pointed out, the cinematography was wonderful. Inventive camera shots, beautiful lighting, gorgeous panoramic vistas… Does anyone remember a shot very early on… a close up of rocks in an aquarium being buffeted around by a hose? At first I had know idea what I was looking at, it was wild… then as the longer shot showed us, it was the youngest son cleaning out a fish tank. I enjoyed all the water imagery as well.
“As to the other performances, I enjoyed Jonathan Tucker as son Beau. The relationship between Beau and his mother was the central piece of this film, and should have really been the entire film, if you ask me. It was developed nicely, their role reversal rather intriguing (if a little heavy handed) and the two performances were strong.
“Unlike some, I thought Goran Visjnic was really quite bad. Granted, he was made to deliver some pretty bad lines, but unlike Tilda, he couldn’t pull them off. His performance was wooden and lifeless.
“Which brings us to the main problem of the film… the plot. As I mentioned earlier, the first half hour or so was terrific. Suspenseful, nicely paced, emotional… if the movie had continued in that vein, I would have loved it. But as soon as the Visjnic character and the accompanying blackmail story were interjected, things quickly escalated from suspenseful to rather ridiculous. The dialogue turned silly, the motivations become murky and fraught with sudden reversals… the original story was serialized in Ladies Home Journal in 1947, so I think some of the melodrama and characterizations spilled over despite the modern updating.
“So, I really wanted to love this film, but I must end up giving it 2 1/2 cats… and that’s purely due to Swinton’s taut performance and the dazzling camerawork.”
Nathaniel says: “I was mixed on this as well. But probably more swinging towards positive. I didn’t have a lot of problems with the plot. Some of you may have noticed in my reviews that I usually am fairly unconcerned with the storyline. I prefer to focus on how the story is told -rather than what the story is… so in that respect I didn’t have real problems with the film. Although I understand where people are coming from when they complain about plot details -like ‘why did she bury the body in shallow water?’ etc… I did feel that some of those incongruities really added to the feel of the film -as you’re meant to question motivation constantly. I actually felt like the advertising had been misleading. It’s really an art film with thriller undertones than it is a thriller per se. As it’s all about emotional loyalties and shifts.
“My number problem narrative wise was WHY do the filmmakers make it so clear how Darby dies? I felt the story would have had a lot more power had you been as unaware of what happened but leaning towards ‘I believe her son is innocent but I’m not sure,’ as Tilda herself is..’
“I thought Tilda was very good as usual (also magnificent in ORLANDO and the little seen EDWARD II -if you haven’t her performance in that film well -do so now!) but I wouldn’t say ‘best of the year’ as some have. Her character, although fascinating, had little arc to explore… she doesn’t change that much in the film aside from the final breakdown. So I thought maybe her performance lacked a bit of range. But I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining because I LOVE Tilda. I also thought the relationship with her son was really interesting… How every motivation for her was about his protection, from himself, his lover, the blackmailers, his own father and the military influence . Very interesting stuff.
“But I vote for the cinematography as ‘best in show.'”
Scot says: “I was pretty unimpressed with most of this film. I really liked the argument scene with the son and the boyfriend and the entire ‘morning after’ sequence with just Swinton, but it swiftly descended into cheap dime novel thriller territory.
“Goran Visjnic’s initial intention and subsequent character reversal were equally unbelievable to me. Also, Peter Donat as Swinton’s father-in-law was quite unnatural and annoying. I swear I could see him ‘turn on’ his acting at the beginning of several shots in the middle of scenes. Of course, it doesn’t help that his role is a mere plot device and obstacle. I won’t even begin to list my problems with the character of Nagle and the performance given by Raymond J. Barry.
“Jonathan Tucker as the son, Josh Lucas as the boyfriend, and Tilda Swinton as the mother all at least *made* some intentional choices as actors, but I won’t be joining in the exhaltation of Swinton’s performance. While she was certainly interesting to watch and probably doing the best she could with a fairly simple role, she was often forced to act in a vacuum. I think she showed considerable craft, but there was little room for art, especially considering that most of her choices late in the film involved inaction.”
Have any of you seen THE RECKLESS MOMENT? 1949…. Joan Bennett and James Mason… Funny how several decades later, the main driving elements are altered…. Good effort in original…..