Deepwater

I wonder if the reviewer I'm thinking of even watched the film. Like, for instance, not realizing that Nat got the car keys from the guy who was beating the crap out of him in the bar. And set in Louisiana? Sheep farm? Sheesh.

OK, it was a bit disjointed in places, but not so much that anybody paying attention couldn't follow the action. The main thing, for this type of movie, is to keep you guessing. This it did, right up to the end. Peter Coyote was brilliant, and Lucas Black got it pretty spot on as well. All the supporting cast were top notch.

The trouble with any film that relies on a surprise ending is that it rarely invites repeat viewings. Alas, such is the case here. Otherwise, I would've given it one or two more stars. But it gave me a good ride, and that's all I expected. I'll be looking for more from this director.

Where was I when this movie came out? I don't' remember it EVER coming out. But I was at the DVD rental store and saw this movie, and since all I wanted was to lie down and vegetate, I rented it because the cast was interesting and I thought I'd give it a try. It seemed like a big mistake at first. The first 45 minutes had me reaching for a magazine to read at the same time, because I was sure I knew what was going on, and some of the characters seemed, well, stupid. And I hate stupid characters... but after seeing it in it's entirely, it has really stuck with me.

Rent it, hang in there, and you'll be in for a treat.

This was the only Seattle Film Festival film I went to, and I was pleased to find it better than many mainstream movies I've seen. It was an unnerving mystery that sucked me in and genuinely surprised me.

Peter Coyote's portrayal of a strange motel owner was my favorite part of the film. I've seen Coyote in a lot of movies, and this has got to be the most interesting role I've seen him play yet. You're never sure if you want to love him or fear him, and that ends up working perfectly for the plot.

Deepwater had a lot of creepy, stylish, music-video type moments. The camera work was beautiful, and once you get to the end of the movie, the style of these sequences makes even more sense. I didn't feel like these scenes took away from the dramatic moments which were the core of the movie.

The director answered questions afterwards, and I was surprised to hear him talking about how low the budget was. He described some of what he would have done with a bigger budget, but I found myself wondering if the small budget helped force them to really focus the story. It's too late this year, but after seeing Deepwater I'm going to make sure I see more films at next year's festival.

After recovering from a twisted ankle, the drifter Nat Banyon (Lucas Black) hitchhikes on the road, trying to reach Wyoming, where he dreams on having an ostrich farm. However he has an incident in a bar and he steals a car from the guy that was beating him. He heads to Wyoming, but he sees a car accident and he saves the driver Herman Finch (Peter Coyote), who owns the Deepwater Hotel. While spending the night in the hotel, Nat is arrested by the police, but Finch releases him from jail and proposes Nat to paint his hotel. In return, he gives an old blue Chrysler Newport to Nat, and lodges and feeds him in the hotel. While painting the hotel, Nat becomes obsessed on Finch's wife Iris (Mia Maestro) and discovers that Finch is a loan shark and corrupt. Further, he has a scheme with the car dealer Walnut (Michael Ironside) and his partner and with the Indian Joe Littlefeet (John Boncore) in the local casino and is protected by the corrupt police of Deepwater. After the mysterious death of a local and a policeman that had issues with Finch, Nat decides to leave Deepwater; but Iris seduces him and convinces Nat to travel after a box match promoted by Finch and stealing a large amount from the safe. On the day of the fight, Nat discovers the hidden secret in Deepwater.

"Deepwater" is a surprisingly great thriller that uses elements of film- noir and a twist that slightly recalls "Identity". The plot is supported by an excellent screenplay; great debut in the direction of the unknown David S. Marfield; top-notch performances of Lucas Black and Peter Coyote, supported by the veterans Michael Ironside and Lesley Ann Warren and the sexy and gorgeous Mia Maestro. The totally unexpected twist is a huge surprise that explains the flaws I believed there were in the story. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Deepwater, A Cidade do Medo" ("Deepwater, The City of the Fear")

Nat (Black) is a stand up kid from his point of view. Which is about the only point of view during the entire movie. He is traveling to California to start over and build a life when he meets Finch (Coyote) and his very young wife Iris (Maestro) who run a hotel called Deepwater, among other side jobs, in rural America. Finch convinces Nat to stay and help fix up the place. Nat gets all sorts of ideas about the other characters. But in the end, everything is not as it appears for Nat. The psychological plot of the film is kept at bay while the seasoned acting keeps your attention over the length of the film. Some action aficionados would find it boring. I would classify it more as a drama than a thriller.