Deep Blue Sea (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
Set in 1950, 'The Deep Blue Sea' (based on Terence Rattigan's 1952 play & written/directed here by Terence Davies, The House of Mirth) tells the melancholy story of Hester Collyer (Rachel Weisz), the younger trophy wife of dull-but-decent High Court judge Sir William Collyer (Simon Russell Beale), as she embarks on a love affair with Freddie Page (Tom Hiddleston, of last year's Thor & War Horse), a dashing RAF pilot troubled by his longing memories of WWII. The brunt of the narrative takes place during one pivotal day in Hester's dingy flat, a day on which she has decided to commit suicide. Her attempt fails and, as she recovers, the story of her married life & her love affair with Freddie is played out in short, fragmented flashback sequences.
We soon see for ourselves the constraints of Hester's pleasant, if passionless marriage. After William finds out about his wife's affair, she leaves her safe life of luxury & moves into said London flat with Freddie. What she finds with Freddie is an awakened sexuality; something she's longed for in her marriage, but never received. But the reckless, alcohol-drinking, slightly-depressed Freddie just doesn't love Hester with as much devotion & stability as she requires of him. For all his vigor, he also proves to be shallow, fickle, & combustible (held-over angst from the war). And yet, for Hester to return to that staid marriage life without passion would be unbearable for her, too. The film's title reflects her dire mood. And the final decision she makes in the film will likely change her life.
My feelings of the film are this: great lead performance by Rachel Weisz, but the film feels kind of ... embalmed. Don't get me wrong, the smoky cinematography lends a lot to the overall mood of the film. Some of the flashbacks are exquisitely rendered. i.e., my favorite scene takes place in a pub where the patrons are singing "You Belong to Me", followed by Hester & Freddie sharing a poignant dance together -- it's absolutely beautiful. I also appreciated a tracking shot in a tube station during the Blitz of WWII. For as much as this film is about Hester & her swirling emotions, it also calls back to the director's childhood in WWII-era London. I also appreciated the performances of Tom Hiddleston & Simon Russell Beale. They both felt very real in their roles.
But much of the film felt needlessly languorous, suffocating and, well, near-death (like the character of Hester). I know, I know ... it was probably supposed to come across that way. But I just couldn't jive with that on this first viewing of the film. The suffocation I speak of made it harder for me to properly access Hester's emotions. I also felt that 'The Deep Blue Sea' felt too stagey. Most of the film takes place in small rooms, cars, or the pub. I was looking for something a little broader & cinematic. I also found the script too literal. For instance, the scenarios & conversations had between Hester & her insufferable old bag of a mother-in-law brought nothing new to the familiar in-law issues that we've seen & experienced in prior films.
Rachel Weisz makes this film worth seeing; and single-handedly raises my rating from about a C to a B-. Hester is not an overly empathetic character, but we believe her torment. And she embodies the kind of trapped existence that many women probably felt at the time (viewed as an irreparable outcast in society if you committed adultery in 1950s civilization). On the outside, Weisz's Hester looks like a sensible, capable Englishwoman. But on the inside, she's jealous, mad, & wounded; yearning for sexual healing or, to feel alright if she can't have what she wants. 'The Deep Blue Sea' explores romantic despair & the tension btwn. fitting-in with dusty conformity & breaking free with sexual liberation. I just wish there was a little more to it then Hester's insoluble point-of-view & some pretty imagery.
We soon see for ourselves the constraints of Hester's pleasant, if passionless marriage. After William finds out about his wife's affair, she leaves her safe life of luxury & moves into said London flat with Freddie. What she finds with Freddie is an awakened sexuality; something she's longed for in her marriage, but never received. But the reckless, alcohol-drinking, slightly-depressed Freddie just doesn't love Hester with as much devotion & stability as she requires of him. For all his vigor, he also proves to be shallow, fickle, & combustible (held-over angst from the war). And yet, for Hester to return to that staid marriage life without passion would be unbearable for her, too. The film's title reflects her dire mood. And the final decision she makes in the film will likely change her life.
My feelings of the film are this: great lead performance by Rachel Weisz, but the film feels kind of ... embalmed. Don't get me wrong, the smoky cinematography lends a lot to the overall mood of the film. Some of the flashbacks are exquisitely rendered. i.e., my favorite scene takes place in a pub where the patrons are singing "You Belong to Me", followed by Hester & Freddie sharing a poignant dance together -- it's absolutely beautiful. I also appreciated a tracking shot in a tube station during the Blitz of WWII. For as much as this film is about Hester & her swirling emotions, it also calls back to the director's childhood in WWII-era London. I also appreciated the performances of Tom Hiddleston & Simon Russell Beale. They both felt very real in their roles.
But much of the film felt needlessly languorous, suffocating and, well, near-death (like the character of Hester). I know, I know ... it was probably supposed to come across that way. But I just couldn't jive with that on this first viewing of the film. The suffocation I speak of made it harder for me to properly access Hester's emotions. I also felt that 'The Deep Blue Sea' felt too stagey. Most of the film takes place in small rooms, cars, or the pub. I was looking for something a little broader & cinematic. I also found the script too literal. For instance, the scenarios & conversations had between Hester & her insufferable old bag of a mother-in-law brought nothing new to the familiar in-law issues that we've seen & experienced in prior films.
Rachel Weisz makes this film worth seeing; and single-handedly raises my rating from about a C to a B-. Hester is not an overly empathetic character, but we believe her torment. And she embodies the kind of trapped existence that many women probably felt at the time (viewed as an irreparable outcast in society if you committed adultery in 1950s civilization). On the outside, Weisz's Hester looks like a sensible, capable Englishwoman. But on the inside, she's jealous, mad, & wounded; yearning for sexual healing or, to feel alright if she can't have what she wants. 'The Deep Blue Sea' explores romantic despair & the tension btwn. fitting-in with dusty conformity & breaking free with sexual liberation. I just wish there was a little more to it then Hester's insoluble point-of-view & some pretty imagery.