Python Hyena
The Deep End (2001): Dir: Scott McGehee, David Siegel / Cast: Tilda Swinton, Goran Visnjic, Jonathan Tucker, Josh Lucas, Peter Donat: What does a mother do when she believes that her son committed murder? Her emotions travel severe grounds. She orders Derby to stay away from her son due to reckless behaviour. Despite the warning he shows up and encourages her son Beau to venture outside. The following morning she discovers Derby's body impaled on an anchor. To protect her son she dispatches the body. A stranger appears with a tape of Beau and Derby having sex then he blackmails her for money. The following day he arrives to the sight of her trying to revive her father after a heart attack and his guilt searches for options. Scott McGehee and David Siegel do well directing with a strong performance by Tilda Swinton as a mother under heavy duress from various angles. Goran Visnjic soon works with her while attempting to ease his partner's demands. He will ultimately do right but not without sacrifice. Fine supporting work by Jonathan Tucker as Beau, involved in a bad relationship that stems into tragedy. Josh Lucas plays Derby, his older sleazy lover who attempts to make financial gain to stay away from Beau until fate hits. It is a solid well made independent film that carries some power. How far may a parent go to protect their children? Score: 9 / 10
pc95
During the opening credits, I'd noticed that "The Deep End" was adapted from a novel which I'd hoped was going to be done well. Alas directors McGehee and Siegel fail to create a good movie out of it, granted I didn't read the novel. Tilda Swinton single-handedly holds up the weight of an aloof and stilted script which has some glaring misgivings and failures. First and foremost the idiocy of the main character of which the tension gets created is an eye-roller, the dialog of Swinton and actor Goran Visnjic seems robotic, and the dysfunctionality of Swinton's character and her son in communication is poor feeling contrived. The movie's fight scenes are poorly done though editing and scene fades are on the better side. Swinton is tense and stressed out, believably so. Visnjic is stoic though satisfactory. Other actors as family are OK. The direction is mixed, and some scenes work while others seems more wooden or absurd, unfortunately more so towards the end. Mixed to poor - 5.5/10 - not really recommended
chrissyt1986
I had really high expectations before watching this movie, the reviews I read on both here and the cover of the DVD really had me excited. I love nothing more than a solid crime thriller but I was left really disappointed after watching this.The film seemed to rush everything to the point were I thought I'd missed something. The acting was terrible, it was like watching a bad TV movie. Tilda Swinton is wasted in this movie and seems to be just plodding along. The relationship with Margret and Alek is sooo bizarre one minute he's blackmailing her and 30mins later they are the best of friends. She falls for him without there being any reason for it happen. There's very little in the way of a police investigation over the death of Darby which seems very unrealistic. I still have no idea how Alek and his partner managed to get the video in order to blackmail Margret that all seemed very rushed as well.Very disappointing! it could have been soooo much better
evanston_dad
A claustrophobic thriller about a woman who will go to any lengths to prevent her son from being implicated in the murder of his abusive lover.This is one of those movies in which a character digs herself deeper and deeper into a hole progressively more difficult to get out of, and it unspools with all the morbid fascination of a ten-car pileup. "The Deep End" was my introduction to the endlessly mesmerizing Tilda Swinton, in my opinion one of the best actresses working today. She received some award attention around the time of this film's release, but remained mostly obscure to the general public until fairly recently.Grade: A
AD
