A rather dull movie, weighed down by its pretensions.
The Deep End (2001)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:113
Fresh:92
Rotten:21
Average Rating:7.1/10
Consensus: A well-acted film noir with arresting visuals.
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Tilda Swinton is riveting as Margaret Hall, a conscientious mom raising a family in Lake Tahoe who is entangled in a web of blackmail. While she frets over transporting her kids to ballet and... Tilda Swinton is riveting as Margaret Hall, a conscientious mom raising a family in Lake Tahoe who is entangled in a web of blackmail. While she frets over transporting her kids to ballet and baseball practice, she worries that her teenage son, Beau (Jonathan Tucker), is involved in a sleazy nightclub life in nearby Nevada. Margaret's husband is a Naval officer who is often away at sea, so she is alone in rearing her family. When Beau gets into a car accident with his gay lover, Darby (Joshua Lucas), after a night of partying in Reno, Margaret takes matters into her own hands and tells Darby to stay away from her son. A few days later Darby shockingly turns up dead next to her boathouse. Shortly thereafter, mysterious Alek (Goran Visnjic of the television series ER) comes to Margaret's door armed with an incriminating video of her son and Darby and threatens to go to the police if she doesn't pay him $50,000. The film's mystery and tension mount as the plot twists and turns--in one scene Tilda Swinton's captivating eyes frantically look on as the strangely tormented Goran Visnjic performs CPR in an emergency worthy of ER. Directors David Siegel and Scott McGehee, famous for their inventive first feature, SUTURE, trade idiosyncrasy for atmosphere using Giles Nuttgens's fluid cinematography--which oozes with mystery in cool blues and refracted light--to set the frightening and suspenseful mood of THE DEEP END. [More]
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Goran Visnjic, Jonathan Tucker, Raymond J. Barry
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Goran Visnjic, Jonathan Tucker, Raymond J. Barry, Peter Donat, Jordan Dorrance, Tamara Hope, Joshua Lucas
Director: Scott McGehee, David Siegel
Director: Scott McGehee, David Siegel
Screenwriter: Scott McGehee, David Siegel
Producer: David Siegel, Scott McGehee
Composer: Peter Nashel
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Reviews for The Deep End
Thanks to two superb performances, you really believe that a lowlife criminal could be the best friend a troubled woman could ever have.
This stylish, smartly photographed film benefits from an intelligent, naturalistic script, good production values and a stunning performance by Tilda Swinton.
A stunning and stylish update of The Reckless Moment (1949), the sophomore effort from Siegel and McGehee is a taut psychological drama that lingers long after its credits roll.
A perfect example of a small, well-made, and (in its central role) rivetingly acted film.
Good movies make you want to believe in them, however much work that takes ... The Deep End is that kind of movie.
For the most part ... the filmmakers and performers invest a high level of intelligence and sympathy into The Deep End.
Unbidden, Alek (Goran Visnjic) gives Margaret what she wants from her family: recognition. Maybe that’s all that any woman wants from her family.
Latest News for The Deep End
September 08, 2005:
Trailer Bulletin: Bee Season
Richard Gere, Juliette Binoche, Flora Cross, and Kate Bosworth star in the new drama "Bee Season," which is based on the novel by Myla Goldberg, and interested parties... More...
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