DVD Reviews

Deception – Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Sep 24, 2008, 14:22 GMT

An accountant is introduced to a mysterious, sex-dating club known as The List by his lawyer friend. He becomes enthralled in this new lifestyle, but he soon becomes the prime suspect in a womanâ??s disappearance and a multimillion-dollar heist. ...more

“Intimacy without intricacy.”

Ewan McGregor and Hugh Jackman star in this film that attempts to be a mystery, but its rather obvious that something is up from the get go.

Jonathan McQuarry (Ewan McGregor) is an accountant doing the books for a law firm and working well into the night on them. He’s interrupted by lawyer Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman). After a joint and some bonding the two are fast friends.

Jonathan moves from company to company doing accountancy and never has time for relationships. He spies a nice looking blond on the subway home, but goes back to his apartment alone. As Jonathan is finishing up the job he runs into Wyatt again and the two go to the club to play tennis. The two begin seeing even more of each other and one day at lunch they accidentally switch cell phones.

Wyatt says that he has to be on London for a meeting and will be out of town. Jonathan tries to get in contact with Wyatt about the switch, but he isn’t answering the phone. Jonathan gets a call on Wyatt’s phone and he answers thinking it’s Wyatt, but the female voice on the other end asks “are you free tonight?”

Jonathan tries to explain the situation, but he responds that he has nothing going on and agrees to meet the woman at a hotel. He’s approached by a gorgeous blond (Natasha Henstridge) who takes him up to a room and takes off her clothes and seduces the shy accountant. When he wakes up the next day, she’s gone.

Wyatt finally does get back with him and realizes that he’s had a hookup. He congratulates Jonathan and encourages him to keep the phone and have a good time while he’s in London.

Jonathan calls another number and is introduced to the underground world of anonymous sex, however things are not as they appear (would they be in a film called Deception?) as he meets up with the girl he saw on the subway, the mysterious “S” (Michelle Williams).

From the minute we set eyes on Hugh Jackman, we know that he’s up to no good - a smiling devil in an expensive suit. Some of the clues that we’re supposed to slap our forehead about later are a bit too obvious.

It’s so obvious that McQuarry is being set up for something and the blond is just the bait. It’s easy to feel sorry for Jonathan as he seems like such a lonely sad sack, but McGregor’s almost Woody Allen nebbish accent seems to make his character feel a bit much.

The mystery might be just figuring out exactly what Wyatt is set poor schmuck Jonathan into doing. Jackman uses his charisma and devilish grin to great effect and Michelle Williams is fetching, but the film can’t recover that we know that a potential mystery is about to unfold. It’s obvious to everyone except Jonathan.

That being said the film appears to be well made and shot. It’s just more originality would’ve been welcomer.

Deception is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (2.40:1). Special features include a commentary from director Marcel Langenegger. Next is “A Passionate Process” which is a BonusView picture in picture feature. What that means is that you’ll need a profile 1.1 player to have the featurettes pop up during the movie. If you don’t, luckily Fox has provided them via a list.

This is a nice touch if your player happens to be the wrong or earlier profile. These featurettes are also in high definition as are the other special features. The 18-minute “Exposing Deception” is a making of.

The 10-minute “Club Sexy” looks a private sex clubs. Finally, there’s “Added Deception” 2 minutes of deleted scenes and a 3-minute alternate ending (with optional director’s commentary).

Deception is deceiving in that it tries to set up a mystery that we see coming from a mile away. The cast is game but the storyline isn’t. It’s not awful, but it’s nothing that you’d have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out.