What Is the Story About?
Vic Van Allen (Ben Affleck) and Milinda (Ana De Armas) are a married couple with a school going kid. After all these years, Milinda does not have the same love for Vic and is looking at random flings. Vic allows Milinda’s indulgence but has his way to deal with them.
How the relationship progresses between Vic and Milanda? What happens to the people involved with Milanda is the movie’s basic story.
Performances?
Ben Affleck and Ana De Armas playing husband and wife look like an odd couple. It works for the plot as they suit the characterizations.
Given the erotic nature of the subject, Ana De Armas has been utilized well. But, there is more to her than just the glamour aspect. The naughty playfulness and drunken act are done well. The same is true for emotional outbursts, which have a genuine vibe. Still, one can’t shake off the feeling that she could have done more.
Ben Affleck is well Ben Affleck with a constant perplexed expression. He is alright, in general, but seems to try too hard at certain places that require him to be ‘seriously’ threatening. He is good when doing the same casually.
Analysis
Adrian Lyne directs Deep Water. It is a relationship drama cum thriller with liberal doses of eroticism in place.
Right from the start, one feels something is off. The proceedings suffer from a lack of depth and are flat. It goes on until the conversation between Vic and Joel takes place. Intrigue is created here.
The drama that follows changes the tone, and the whole thing looks uneven again. The narrative then oscillates between erotic moments and drama with mixed results. Parts of it are engaging, but a full-fledged impact is missing.
The second fling block is decent. But, it is the end that stays with us. Did he or did he not is a question driving the narrative forward. It feels as if not only the couple’s lives, but the story is restarting with every affair.
So, we have a third one, and it’s here that the actual characters are laid bare. The way Vic explodes and shows his real dark side is done well. But, by the time one is already mentally aware of the same. The impact, therefore, is not the same. The execution, too, could have been better.
The ending then moves into a full-on thriller mode. There is a predictable turn of events in this space leading to a ‘Meh-Whatever’ feeling when the whole thing comes to an end. It’s as if the story is moving in circles, and we are back to the beginning. Even if that was the intended effect, the execution should have been much better.
The start-stop and restart proceedings never let the story realize its full potential. In the end, Deep Water feels like an opportunity wasted. It could have had a far better impact, similar to Gone Girl, had things been done right.
Overall, Deep Water has a good cast, but the lack of a watertight script fails to give the desired result. It feels like a mash-up of different genres with a convoluted story moving in circles.
Other Artists?
Apart from the lead pair, the rest of the actors have bits and pieces roles. We have some recognizable faces, but no one has an impactful role. Among the many only Grace Jenkins and Tracy Letts have some sort of parts to play. Grace Jenkins has nice chemistry with her on-screen father, essayed by Ben Affleck. Tracy Letts threatens to be something more than the rest but is eventually settles as a glorified supporting part.
Music and Other Departments?
Marco Beltrami’s music is superb. It sets up the mood perfectly for the proceedings. The background score plays a vital part in maintaining a tempo. Eigil Bryld’s cinematography is satisfactory. The visuals look classy and grand. It helps the movie breathe a little despite being shot in a limited setup. Andrew Mondshein and Tim Squyres are the editors. They have done an okay job. The writing is decent in parts, but we have a lot of cringe moments as well.
Highlights?
Basic Story
Some Thriller Moments
BGM
Drawbacks?
Screenplay
Uneven Tone
Convoluted Narrative
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, In Parts
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, But With Huge Reservations
Deep Water Movie Review by Binged Bureau
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