DECEIVER
A Film Review by James Berardinelli
RATING: *** OUT OF ****
United States, 1997 U.S. Release Date: 1/30/98 (limited) Running Length: 1:42 MPAA Classification: R (Profanity, violence) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Michael Rooker, Renee Zellweger, Rosanna Arquette, Michael Parks, Ellen Burstyn Director: Jonas & Josh Pate Producers: Mark Damon, Peter Glatzer Screenplay: Jonas & Josh Pate Cinematography: Bill Butler Music: Harry Gregson-Williams U.S. Distributor: MGM
It's Wednesday, March 27, and a murder investigation is underway in Charlotte, South Carolina. The crime: a young prostitute, Elizabeth (Renee Zellweger), has been brutally slain. One half of her severed body was found in a bag at the train station. The other half was discovered in a trunk at the harbor authority, miles away. The police duo of Braxton (Chris Penn) and Kennesaw (Michael Rooker) are strapped for leads. At the moment, they have only one possible suspect: Wayland (Tim Roth), a wealthy, unemployed genius who graduated Summa Cum Laude from Princeton and appears to be the least likely character to commit such a heinous act.
That's the premise for DECEIVER, a new thriller from the Pate Brothers, Jonas and Josh, who made their mark on the film world two years ago at Sundance with the movie THE GRAVE. DECEIVER plays out like a mind game between the intellectually superior Wayland and the two not- so-bright cops (captions early in the proceedings let us know that Wayland's IQ is 151; by contrast, Kennesaw's is 122 and Braxton's is 102). The setting is a police interrogation room where a lie detector test is about to be administered. Over three days, as Wayland returns to answer more questions, the drama and tension among these three characters gradually escalates until, inevitably, it boils over.
Other plot elements are thrown in for good measure. Wayland suffers from a peculiar kind of epilepsy that can, in stressful situations, render him virtually catatonic or extremely violent. Braxton, a compulsive gambler, is deep in debt to a local syndicate. And Kennesaw is haunted by a dark, abusive side that delights in terrorizing women, especially his wife (Rosanna Arquette), whom he suspects of being unfaithful. The foibles and failings of these three are brought into the open as the mystery around Elizabeth's death deepens and it becomes unclear who has the upper hand: the suspect or his questioners.
DECEIVER, which mostly transpires in a dimly-lit room and involves a lot of smart dialogue, has the feel of a David Mamet play: edgy, claustrophobic, and tense. The atmosphere is explosive, and some of pivotal moments of confrontation are riveting. DECEIVER has the power to grab an audience. Unfortunately, in the end, it succumbs to the need to throw in one last, unexpected twist, and this is its undoing. For, while this surprise will certainly shock most viewers, it also stretches our credulity too much, and raises more questions than it answers. It's only an effective wrap-up if you don't think too carefully about its full implications. Of course, the film as a whole plays fast and loose with reality and logic. Police procedure is totally ignored and it's almost impossible to accept that any criminal investigation would or could proceed in this manner. But the real focus in DECEIVER is on character interaction, not plot details.
DECEIVER only occasionally gets out of the police station, and those instances occur primarily during flashbacks featuring the prostitute. The Pates employ a number of interesting techniques to present vignettes from Elizabeth's final days and hours. The most intriguing of these is to use an unreliable narrator while underlining the discrepancies in his voice-over by visually showing what really happened. Moments like this are too effective to be dismissed as gimmicks.
The movie, obviously fashioned in the manner of classic film noir, drips atmosphere. There are some fascinating stylistic touches; for example, although the setting is contemporary, all of the telephones are old-fashioned, rotary models. Cinematographer Bill Butler is given an opportunity to use unconventional camera work to liven up DECEIVER's look. Some of the things he tries (mostly those that involve the contrast between light and shadow) work exceptionally well, while others (like any of several Lazy Susan shots) seem more like unnecessary visual tricks.
As Wayland, Tim Roth gives the film's top performance, despite occasionally treading the tightrope between acting and overacting. Roth makes us believe that Wayland is both as brilliant and as troubled as he's supposed to be. The other two leads, Chris Penn and Michael Rooker, aren't as effective. Both play their characters like familiar types. Penn's performance is uninspired; Rooker's lacks subtlety. Some of the best work is turned in by the supporting actors. Renee Zellweger, in a role that's miles away from her star-making turn in JERRY MAGUIRE, brings a note of vulnerability and humanity to a part that could easily have become a caricature. Rosanna Arquette is solid as Kennesaw's wife, and Michael Parks delivers several wonderful scenes as a psychiatrist who's entrusted with evaluating Wayland's condition.
One of the best things about DECEIVER is that it never talks down to the audience. Plot points aren't hammered home, and, although the ending has its weaknesses, everything isn't spelled out in bold letters. The Pates give audience members credit for having brains, which is an increasingly rare characteristic for film makers. Occasionally gripping and never uninteresting, DECEIVER is a fine noir effort.
Copyright 1997 James Berardinelli
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@mail.cybernex.net
Now with more than 1300 reviews... The ReelViews web site: http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/
"No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls"
- Ingmar Bergman
The review above was posted to the
rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup (de.rec.film.kritiken for German reviews).
The Internet Movie Database accepts no responsibility for the contents of the
review and has no editorial control. Unless stated otherwise, the copyright
belongs to the author.
Please direct comments/criticisms of the review to relevant newsgroups.
Broken URLs inthe reviews are the responsibility of the author.
The formatting of the review is likely to differ from the original due
to ASCII to HTML conversion.
Related links: index of all rec.arts.movies.reviews reviews