Eaux profondes

Somehow this film manages to be boring and disgusting at the same time. The music is particularly awful - faux baroque/jazz - and violin scratching that is supposed to be suspenseful but is just annoying. As is typical in French movies, it starts out well, with a very interesting premise, interesting characters, good dialogue...and then nothing happens. Well, to be fair, some things do happen, but there is never a sense of direction, of the story going somewhere, or of anything being resolved. I can't blame it all on the French though. It's based on a book by Patricia Highsmith and in her signature style glorifies immorality and sexual/psychological perversity. She also wrote "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Strangers on a Train." Hitchcock was a master filmmaker, and while he kept the evil and the pscyhopathy, he also had the skill to make "Strangers" into a film that is scary and suspenseful, yet with an ending that doesn't repel.

This is like watching a cat and mouse game that you couldn't care less about. I'm sorry I wasted an hour and a half on this terrible movie.

I discover again this Michel Deville's film, my favorite, showing a scheme rarely used before, except maybe in some anthology shows such as ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS or any other series of this kind and period. Jean-Louis Trintignant and Isabelle Huppert steal the show with their performances. Just enjoy this French piece of jewellery from the early eighties. It is so intriguing, so riveting, that it doesn't need any suspense. Actually the suspense exists from the very beginning. François Truffaut could have made it, I guess. If you are a man and a jealous husband, try to wacch this film. A real must.

Classic French art-house mystery thriller for the wine n cheese crowd. Young trophy bride (Huppert) flirts and attracts numerous young swains. Husband warns each of possible consequences. Those who heed, flee. Those who abide, however ... Challenging in that the viewer never knows the relationship between husband and wife, or how much friends and neighbors (island of Jersey) turn a blind eye to Measured pace (for modern viewers, read slow) that delivers unexpected jolts. Warning, there is violence in this film, and it bursts seemingly out of nowhere. Jean-Louis Trintignant unforgettable as the multi-layered husband. Based on Patricia Highsmith (Ripley stories) novel.

This is the second Michel Deville's movie i watch. First one (Death in a french garden) was a great movie (8/10). This one is definitely lesser. Characters are totally unlikeable but it's not necessarily a bad thing, i mean, there are many movies in which noone is to root for but still, they are good/great movies. Unfortunately, characters were not only unlikeable but a bit bland too. Both Huppert and Trintignant are charismatic and gifted actors but they couldn't turn this into a very good movie. Still, it was enjoyable and entertaining. Trintignant was convincing enough, i understood his character and his motives even though he was not a good guy here. I was curious to see where it goes and it was not boring. However, it was not that interesting either. And the ending was even more bland than the rest of the movie.

Watch it if you like this genre. This is a drama/romance movie first of all. Cold and dry. The crime element is secondary.

I think one can say without fear of contradiction that Patricia Highsmith was a deeply complex individual with more than her fair share of demons. Her spectacles were never rose-coloured and her gripping tales featuring deeply flawed, morally vacuous, sociopathic characters have proved to be manna from heaven for film directors notably Hitchcock, Clement and Chabrol.

This adaptation of her fifth novel 'Deep Water' is directed by Michel Deville.

This film slowly drew me in and held my attention although M. Deville's rather tasteful and measured directorial style would seem to lack the 'edge' required for this sort of material. Where it does have the advantage is in the casting of Jean-Louis Trintignant and Isabelle Huppert as Vic and Melanie. He is the outwardly complaisant husband and she is the notoriously flirtatious wife who rubs his nose in it. He resolves to kill one of her paramours but of course one murder is never enough.........

Trintignant, with his unruffled exterior concealing the turmoil within and Huppert with her combination of vulnerability and almost cruel impassivity, are tremendous and their dynamic is mesmerising. The supporting players alas are not up to much but mention must be made of splendid Sandrine Kljajic as their young daughter whose childlike innocence gives the film a balance. The relationship between father and daughter is beautifully drawn. In one scene his bedtime story is that of Samson and Delilah!

Deville utilises his favoured editor Raymonde Guyot and Manuel de Falla's Concerto pour Clavicin is cleverly employed.

The subtle ending with its family reconciliation is filmically effective but the author's original ending would have packed a far greater punch.

Deville must have felt deflated by the films failure to make an impact but he hit the bullseye four years later with his critically and commercially successful 'Péril en la Demeure'. Still tasteful but this time with an edge!