Hugh Jackman made a smart move in choosing his cast for his production company’s first film for the big screen. With Ewan McGregor (Miss Potter), Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain) and himself in a role, how could a thriller like Deception go wrong? Maybe with a screenplay that tips its plot devices way too early and much too often, then concludes with an ending that leaves viewers saying, "I sat through this for that?
Hugh Jackman & Ewan McGregor
Still, the story engages us immediately. Jonathan McQuarry (McGregor) is a mind-numbing, afraid-of-his-own-shadow accountant. His firm sends him from one high end company to another to audit their books. It's at one of those firms that Jonathan connects with attorney Wyatt Bose (Jackman). Wyatt is like a ringmaster of a circus, too buoyant and so obviously tweaking more than a doobie with Jonathan when he invites him onto the roof for a chat. Wyatt might as well be wearing a name badge that reads “Deceiver.”
Jonathan, ecstatic over meeting someone who offers the hand of friendship, meets up with Wyatt several more times. Wyatt is so brazen he even inquires about Jonathan's sexual conquests. At one such get together, Wyatt arranges for Jonathan to pick up the wrong cell phone. In today's world with all the options available, what's the chance both men would have the same phone, especially since Jonathan only uses his for an occasional work contact?
Immediately Jonathan calls Wyatt to inform him of the mix-up only to learn Wyatt is off to London on a case and won't return for a week. He tells Jonathan to use the phone and "enjoy" it. So Jonathan answers calls for Wyatt from women who merely say, "Are you free tonight?"
Michelle Williams & Ewan McGregor
Finally ready to get out of his cocoon, Jonathan answers yes to one of them and is soon participating in a private sex club called "The List." He arranges trysts with women from Wall Street to model types, but his undoing comes when he meets "S" (Williams) and falls for her. He doesn't want sex; he wants to get to know her. S, who begins to have feelings for him too, plays it cool, not wanting to break any of the rules of the sex club, which include using any names; instead everyone is a number.
When Wyatt returns from London and finally meets up with Jonathan, it's not for a friendly visit. While looking for S, Jonathan must now balance the accounts of his own life and try to stay one step ahead of Wyatt in order to survive.
Misgivings aside, these actors are engaging to watch. Williams is mesmerizing. Beautiful, seductive and self-effacing, she fits the role of S like a glove. Although Jonathan changes from his I-can't-talk-to-people personality to Mr. Playboy a little too easily, McGregor successfully draws viewers into his character’s plight.
How I wish screenwriter Mark Bomback, first-time feature film director Marcel Langenegger, and Jackman himself – or his partner's in Seed Productions, John Palermo and Deborra-lee Furness – had seen the problems with this script! Another bad judgment was to include a photo in the press kit that if used in a review would tip off one of the supposed "twists."
The more the story goes on, the more plot holes stand out. The biggest let-down comes with the film’s totally implausible ending. Although I would love to relate details about it, that would spoil things for people who haven’t seen the movie yet. Another critic and I, who are both avid Jackman and McGregor fans, wanted this movie to work. We can't understand why more test screenings aren't done on films of this nature. If some of those obvious "spoilers" had been addressed early on, Deception might have ended up as the thriller it intended to be.
Photo credits: Jonathan Wenk
