The Deep End (film)
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| The Deep End | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Scott McGehee David Siegel |
| Written by | Scott McGehee David Siegel Elizabeth Sanxay Holding (novel) |
| Starring | Tilda Swinton Goran Visnjic Jonathan Tucker Josh Lucas |
| Distributed by | Fox Searchlight Pictures |
| Release date(s) | August 8, 2001 (US) December 14, 2001 (UK)[1] |
| Running time | 101 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2,000,000 |
| Box office | $10,031,529 |
The Deep End is a 2001 film that was written and directed by David Siegel and Scott McGehee. It stars Tilda Swinton, Goran Visnjic, Jonathan Tucker and Josh Lucas and was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures. The film was very loosely adapted from the novel The Blank Wall by Elizabeth Sanxay Holding (filmed before by Max Ophüls as The Reckless Moment). The film premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival where English cinematographer Giles Nuttgens won the Best Cinematography award.
[edit] Plot
Margaret Hall (Swinton) and her family live a seemingly upper middle class life in Tahoe City, California. Her husband is a pilot on the aircraft carrier USS Constellation. She is startled to discover that her son Beau (Tucker), a high school senior, has been having a sexual affair with 30 year-old Reno, Nevada night club owner Darby Reese (Lucas). The affair becomes apparent when a drunken Beau wrecks his car returning from Reno one night. The next day, Margaret visits Reese's nightclub, The Deep End, to demand that he stay away from her son. Reese offers to stay away for $5,000. Margaret attempts to engage her son about his sexual orientation, to no avail. The two have an argument that culminates with Margaret forbidding Beau from visiting Reno again.
That night, Reese secretly visits Beau and the two meet in the boathouse. Beau confronts him about asking his mother for money. The two argue, eventually coming to blows. As Beau returns to the house, Reese leans on a railing, causing it to collapse, and falls into the water, impaling himself on an anchor.
The next morning, Margaret discovers Reese's body on the beach. Margaret removes the body from the beach and dumps it in a cove. The body is soon discovered and the police investigate it as a homicide. Soon after, a man named Alek Spera (Visnjic) confronts Margaret with a tape of Darby and Beau having sexual relations. Alek demands $50,000 in 24 hours or he and his partner will turn the tape over to the police, which would implicate Beau in Reese's "murder".
Margaret struggles unsuccessfully to get the money. Just as she is to meet Alek the next day, her father-in-law suffers a heart attack. Alek shows up at the house and helps Margaret revive her father-in-law. Alek pushes Margaret to get the money and schedules a meeting for the following day.
Nagle, Alek's blackmail partner, is livid when the money is not delivered. He questions Alek's motives as he does not explain the reason why Margaret did not have the money. Alek calls Margaret the next day and tells her that she needs to get $25,000 instead as he will not take his share of the blackmail money. During this time, Beau becomes suspicious of Margaret's behavior.
Because her car won't start, Margaret takes a cab to her meeting with Alek. She first pawns her jewelry but receives only $12,000. As Alek drives her back to Tahoe, he tells her that Nagle has lost the advantage of the tape because a man named Donnelly was arrested for the murder of Reese. Margaret tells Alek that Donnelly didn't kill Reese because she did. Alek doesn't believe her. He drops her off at the hospital to pick up her father-in-law, but Beau has already taken him home. Margaret takes a cab home where Nagle waits for her. Nagle calls Alek with the news that Donnelly will be released and that he still wants the full $50,000. Alek races to Margaret's home just as Nagle and Margaret meet.
Nagle forces Margaret to the boat house where they argue. Nagle is convinced she is lying about not being able to raise the money. Nagle begins beating Margaret when Alek arrives. The two men scuffle, and after Nagle injures Alek's arm with a hook, Alek strangles Nagle to death. Margaret attempts to take responsibility for Nagle's death, but Alek takes the body away in Nagle's car. Margaret attempts to follow in Alek's car but cannot drive a stick shift and gets Beau to help her.
As they drive looking for Nagle's car, Margaret sees the car overturned in a ditch. She attempts to free Alek, who is critically injured. Alek pleads with her to leave before the police arrive. Margaret stays until Alek dies. Back at home, Margaret, in a state of distress, is comforted by Beau. The camera then pulls back, as the scene shifts to the exterior of the house, and the audience hears another phone call coming in from the absent husband, which Beau's sister answers. The Halls' normal life resumes.
[edit] References
- ^ a b The Deep End at the Internet Movie Database URL last accessed September 11, 2006.
