Drowning in Emotion

Review: The Deep Blue Sea

Not to be confused with Deep Blue Sea, a movie about genetically enhanced sharks (which I secretly still find to be entertaining despite its ridiculous), THE Deep Blue Sea is about as different of a film as you can imagine.

Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener) commands the lead as Hester Collyer, a woman who begins a self-destructive love affair with a man other than her husband. The husband, Sir William Collyer, loves her and treats her well, but Hester discovers an overwhelming physical passion for former RAF pilot Freddie Page.

Yet even Freddie fails to reciprocate the almost obsessive zeal Hester develops for their extramarital relationship. As the relationship continues to fall short of the ideal Hester idolizes, she is driven into depression and in devastation resorts to a suicide attempt.

Now, I have not just ruined the film for you, I promise. The Deep Blue Sea actually begins in the direct aftermath of this failed effort and goes on to recount both the past events which led up to this moment through flashbacks, as well as how Hester's tragic act impacts her relationships.

Oscar-winner Weisz subtly gives a tour-de-force performance here, creating a woman both pitiful in her ceaseless dependence on the men in her life, but also incredibly strong in commitment to her infatuations. Why Weisz is still not as well known as other Hollywood A-listers, I'll never know, but her role in The Deep Blue Sea not only cements her status as a great actress, but is her best work to date.

As Freddie, Tom Hiddleston (Thor) is not as quite a revelation as his co-star, but does a more than serviceable job as an average guy who hasn't quite learn to move beyond his experiences in WW2 and likes Hester well enough, but is increasingly perplexed by her engrossment with him.

The film gives audiences a lot of emotion to absorb and thoughts to mull over. For instance, the irony of Hester's husband, a judge (played empathetically by Simon Russell Beale), is the one character to judge Hester the least, accepting her entirely for who she is, unfaithfulness and all.

Indeed, The Deep Blue Sea is a moody piece and at times can feel a bit tedious, suffering, as most films which are based on plays do, from an innate sense of claustrophobia. This uncomfortable restlessness may have very well been an intentional decision by director Terence Davies (The House of Mirth) to mirror the internal struggles of Hester, but it can make audiences a bit fidgety.

Ultimately, The Deep Blue Sea is quite an interesting film, bolstered largely by a stellar performance from Rachel Weisz, but somewhat hindered by a sense of confinement in many of its scenes. For the most part I really liked it; just don't make me choose between this film and the one with the giant sharks.

The Final Word: 2.5/4 - Wait to rent it (or maybe buy a matinee ticket).

<--- Not THE Deep Blue Sea, very different movies...