Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas star as a married couple in Deep Water, a new erotic thriller (a genre trying to make a real comeback over recent years), and that should be something to perk interest for most people. The pair were in a relationship during filming but broke up not too long after, something that made everyone think the press tour for the film would be a bit tasty however, the film dropping straight to streaming rather than hitting cinemas first was a sign that there were bigger issues for the film to worry about than that.
Based on the Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name, Vic (Ben Affleck) and Melinda Van Allen (Ana de Armas) are an affluent New Orleans couple whose marriage is crumbling under the weight of resentment, jealousy, and mistrust. As their mutual provocations and mind games escalate, things quickly turn into a deadly game of cat and mouse as Melinda’s extramarital dalliances start going missing.
There's no denying that with the talent involved Deep Water is one of the first true disappointments of the year, Adrian Lyne having directed one of the most iconic erotic thrillers of all time in Fatal Attraction bringing no energy to proceedings from behind the camera. It's supposed to be a bit mysterious with characters growing a real sense of paranoia but there's nothing here to shout home about, cold water thrown over anything before it even starts to simmer.
It's an incredibly trashy film just not even in a way that makes it enjoyable to sit through, the screenplay being incredibly bland and written with the intention to make both Vic and Melinda as detestable as one another. It leads to what feel like awkward and unintentionally funny sequences throughout, none more so than a chase between characters; one in a car and the other on a bike, chopped to shit and just looking like something out of a slapstick comedy rather than a film you're supposed to be taking seriously, the choice for the character in the car to be driving like he's doing a rally one of the most baffling choices in the film.
Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas are both very good and very capable actors but there's something off with their performances from the very get go in Deep Water. Badly written characters can only be part of the reason because both are way off their best here, sleepwalking through proceedings while the film meanders to a truly unforgettable final few moments. It's a problem felt throughout the film as a lack of energy is apparent from both the filmmakers and cast, no one in the supporting cast taking their chance to deliver something of a scene-stealing performance.
I'm not even disappointed that Deep Water isn't a great film to be honest, more disappointed in the fact it's not even a decent film at best, its distinct lack of sexiness and thrills proving to be a real issue for a supposed erotic thriller.
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