THE DEEP END (2001) Reviewed by Jerry Saravia September 21st, 2001
I was stunned after seeing "The Deep End." Here is a film noir story with the machinations of the thriller genre but all wrapped in ivory silk, as if any and all cliches that could occur are withheld in the service of melancholia. This is noir that is not really bleak and a thriller that looks for behavioral characteristics to thrill us, all told with an absorbing sense of serenity that distinguishes it from most other thrillers.
The film begins with a jeep arriving at some undisclosed nightclub in Reno. A tall, lanky, red-headed woman warns a sleazy guy to stay away from her son. We are unaware of what the situation is but we know he represents sleaze and we know she is a worrisome mother. It turns out the mother's son, Beau (Jonathan Tucker), is having a homosexual affair with Darby Reese (Josh Lucas), the sleazy guy at the nightclub who owes a huge gambling debt. Beau's mother, Margaret (Tilda Swinton), wants him to stay away from Darby since all he represents is trouble. When Darby makes an unscheduled visit at their house in Lake Tahoe, Beau pleads with him to keep away. Darby will keep if Margaret pays him $5,000. A fight ensues resulting in the accidental death of Darby. The next day, Margaret finds the body and thus, the film's moral center takes over in an unusual, lyrical manner.
I will not say much more except that this serenely modest thriller is different from most Hitchcock thrillers in that usually the protagonist and the audience is aware of information that no one else is aware of. In this case, we know the truth behind the accidental death of Darby that no one else in the movie knows. Not even the seedy man from Reno ("E.R.'s" Goran Visnjic) who demands money to keep his mouth shut from what might be a potential murder. And Margaret does her best to keep calm and hide Darby's body. She wants to protect her son, her father-in-law, and her other son and daughter from the evils of the world, notably Reno.
Tilda Swinton is clearly the star of "The Deep End," imbuing the screen with a vitality and strength that is breathtaking to witness. I have only seen her in one other film, the magnificent "Orlando," but her performance here makes me want to pursue her earlier work. Perhaps even more so than Cate Blanchett, Swinton has a sense of authority as the doting, respectful mother that dominates the screen. It is no accident that the number of closeups in the film enhance her strong, magnetic presence. Interestingly, Swinton's Margaret seems to barely take notice of her children except for Beau - it is a family life where the father-in-law is more concerned about her than anyone else (including her unseen husband who is a Navy officer).
"The Deep End" is directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel III, who previously collaborated on "Suture." They have an uncanny eye for detail and savor appropriately breathless cinematic moments that never disrupt the pace or momentum. I found the shot of Swinton underwater while looking for car keys from Darby's body positively thrilling and unnerving to watch. Also look closely at framed shots of Swinton, usually seen from windows or from other obstructions (one extreme example is a fish-eyed lens shot reflected in a drop of water). Water and glass are prominently featured whenever Swinton's Margaret appears on screen and it nicely balances with the Lake Tahoe setting - prominent yet unassuming.
"The Deep End" is occasionally melodramatic towards the end and climaxes sooner than it should have. Still, a magnificent central performance by Swinton, not to mention an understated cast and a hauntingly lyrical tone that switches from engaging thriller to a heart-rending love story, more than makes up for it.
For more reviews, check out JERRY AT THE MOVIES at http://moviething.com/members/movies/faust/JATMindex.shtml
E-mail me with any questions, comments or general complaints at faustus_08520@yahoo.com or at Faust668@aol.com
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