Deception

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Maggie Q, Natasha Henstridge
Director: Marcel Langenegger
Producers: Robbie Brenner, David L. Bushell, Christopher Eberts, Hugh
Jackman, John Palermo, Arnold Rifkin, Marjorie Shik
Screenwriter: Mark Bomback
Music: Ramin Djawadi
Editors: Douglas Crise, Christian Wagner
Genre: Action-Thriller
Cinematography: Dante Spinotti
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox Corporation
Location: New York, USA
Running Time: 110 min.

Technical Assessment: 2
Moral Assessment: 2
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

Jonathan McQuarry (Ewan McGregor) is a shy corporate auditor working on class A accounts but leading a lonely and dull existence. Meanwhile co-employee and high profile lawyer Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman)starts spending time with him to make him feel a little more welcome. Wyatt introduces Jonathan to an exclusive sex club, The List, where professional women working 18 hours a day look for intimacy through a “no string attached-one-night-stand” with members they fancy as a way to ease work tension and tiredness. However, “The List” has a strict set of rules: no exchanging of names, no business or personal talk and definitely no developing of intimate relationships. When Wyatt is called for a business trip in London , Jonathan meets “S” (Michelle Williams) whom he instantly falls for. And as soon as Jonathan starts to break rules, club members turn up dead with him as the main suspect. He scrambles to clear his name and soon discovers Wyatt’s deception.

The production wasted a good ensemble of performers with a storyline full of holes and a flat and unintelligent screenplay. The early scenes would make you think there is some huge twist at the end where unfortunately there is nothing more than just a ridiculous conclusion. The cinematography tries to be unique and reflective by using desaturated colors for effect but it instead it comes out dark and gloomy. Even the strong performances of Mcgregor and Jackman could not save the poorly written script. The direction is mediocre and is obviously done by a
newcomer. Overall, the movie is not enjoyable to watch and not worth the time and money.

"Intimacy without intricacy" is how one character explains the movie, as though sex were the ultimate fulfillment of life. But the protagonist soon realizes that one’s emptiness can only be filled not by vices and short-term pleasure but by a real and pure personal relationship. In this
world, emptiness comes to everyone. There are holes and walls in our lives that prevent us from living fully but if we are able to find love and real relationship, holes can be mended and walls can be broken to allow us to experience the beauty of life. The movie painfully tries to convey this message. However, with the weak script and meager creativity, it does not come across clearly. Scenes, themes and language are not suitable for the youth.