Deception (2008)
Released: Friday April 25, 2008 Tuesday September 23, 2008 (dvd/video) Genre: Thriller Running Time: 102 min. Director: Marcel Langenegger Cast: Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, Michelle Williams, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Maggie Q, Natasha Henstridge, Lynn Cohen, Danny Burstein, Malcolm Goodwin, Charlotte Rampling
This was an excellent film I really did not see coming. I remember seeing it in the theatres and just passing it by with little regard. I have many of these regrets as my pocket and mind state sometimes stops me from experiencing great movies in the theatre. I do regret to also admit that sometimes things look big on your TV screen and sometimes in a theatre will not illicit the same response. It’s an unfortunate and almost inexplicable reality but we have all seen film that were better in the movie theatre and that aren’t as good when you buy the DVD. Movies are funny that way and in exact opposite are films that are great on DVD (or video for nostalgic purposes) and in the theatre you just didn’t get it. It’s wierd and quirky but true nonetheless. Perhaps someone should to a dissertation on why this happens–maybe someone has and no one is reading it…let’s stop before the Catholic guilt gets me.
The cast is amazing. I never would have put this bunch together in my own mind but they worked out. I don’t know how much of it is direction but I’m going to say that Marcel Langeenegger really did a fantastic job at using this very individual group as a collective and putting it together seemlessly. Hugh Jackman is an amazing "bad guy" (in layman terms). I really enjoyed disliking him in this movie. And the interesting part is that at first you don’t like him for how put together the character is and how " cool" that guy he plays seems and then it shifts completely into hating him for compleletly justifiable reasons. It’s interesting the perspective the director is taking. He takes life in it’s most alienating form via Jonathan McQuarry’s (played by Ewan McGregor)and shows people a very stark example of what happens when good people engage in bad behaviour. The director also puts forth the idea that the bad things you do in life don’t always make for a bad person–and that is where Michelle William’s portrayal of S comes into play as she is the truly redeemed character. More than anyone else S really changes from beginning to end and finds a way back into the world of Jonathan. It’s a beautiful story and hopeful one considering that it’s a thriller.
The film looks and sounds great and the end of the film is really interesting because cinematographically it’s full of light. I say no more! Check out this DVD and for some reason I’m suggesting it as a date film as it does inspire the lingering want to be with someone at the end.