London, 1987. Philip is a famous American writer exiled in London. His mistress comes regularly to find him in his office, the refuge of the two lovers. They make love there, argue, meet and talk for hours; women who punctuate his life, sex, anti-Semitism, literature, and loyalty to oneself…
Posted November 11
This exercise in style, shot in confinement, will certainly delight lovers of literature and beautiful texts. Especially since these dialogues, very well written, are rendered by two actors at the top of their game: Léa Seydoux and Denis Podalydès. After Roubaix, a lightwhere he plunged into a darker universe through a (true) sordid news item, Arnaud Desplechin offers one of those intellectual contests with which he likes to punctuate his cinema.
By bringing to the screen a novel that Philip Roth published in the 1990s, the filmmaker is betting on transposition by immediately dismissing the concern for realism. With a spirit that could not be more French, he invites the viewer to enter the universe of this American writer living in London while retaining his identity and his nationality. And he orchestrates this face-to-face with a British mistress using the language of Molière.
Once this agreement has been accepted, we can savor these long discussions between the two lovers, the main challenge of which is to evoke everything that can feed the inspiration of the writer. As if it had to come from real experiences, thus justifying, among other things, all these sentimental adventures lived over the years with women who admired his talent as an author. That said, the process still has its limits, insofar as the story sometimes seems to stand still.
Even taking into account the era in which this story takes place, this portrait of the middle-aged heartthrob for whom all women succumb seems more dated. And this trial of a feminist court before which Philip will be judged, too caricatural, takes on the appearance of a forced attempt to rebalance.
Deception is currently showing. It will also be available on Crave starting November 13.
Drama
Deception
Arnaud Desplechin
With Denis Podalydes, Léa Seydoux, Emmanuelle Devos
1:45