The Deep End poster & wallpaper

Goran Visnjic, Jonathan Tucker, Josh Lucas

Vintage film noir gets a confidently stylish upgrade in this subtle domestic thriller, intensified by Tilda Swinton's acclaimed performance as a mother who risks everything to protect her family. Adap...( read more  read more... )ted from Elisabeth Sanxay Holding's story The Blank Wall (previously filmed as 1949's The Reckless Moment), the film's gripping plot commences with Margaret (Swinton), a naval officer's wife and mother of three, disposing of the body of a sleazy club owner, who died in an accident after a confrontation with Margaret's closeted gay son. Maternal instinct shifts into high gear when a blackmailer (Goran Visnjic) demands $50,000 to withhold incriminating evidence, and his unspoken feelings provoke an unexpectedly compassionate alliance. Compelling plot twists aside, The Deep End gains much of its impact from the quiet desperation of a family defined by its secrets and rescued by the mysterious motivations of the human heart. --Jeff Shannon

Flixster Users

58% liked it

4,560 ratings

Critics

81% liked it

113 critics

R, 101 min.

Directed by: David Siegel, Goran Visnjic, Jonathan Tucker, Josh Lucas, Peter Donat, Raymond J. Barry, Scott McGehee, Tilda Swinton

Release Date: August 8, 2001

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: April 16, 2002

Get It:

Stats: 214 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites
report incorrect info

Photos

Tilda Swinton in The Deep End The Deep End
Upload a Photo |

View All The Deep End Photos (2)

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (214)

  • RCCLBC
    June 8, 2009
    RCCLBC
    Beautifully shot film.
    A fairly predictable story, made interesting by a great cast and solid performances.
    In an attempt to save her son from an "unsavory" relationship, Margaret (Swinton) unknowingly sets in motion a chain of events that slowly puts her entire family at risk....( read more) And perhaps more interestingly puts her in a positon to better understand how we are sometimes attracted to people who we know are bad for us.
    Swinton is (as usual) amazing!
  • madmac17
    January 14, 2009
    madmac17
    In spite of my well-documented opinion that Tilda Swinton should not have won the Oscar for Michael Clayton, she is undoubtedly a great actress, and she gives one of the best performances of her career in The Deep End. She plays Margaret Hall, a mother of three who discovers her ...( read more)teenage son Beau (Jonathan Tucker) has been frequenting a gay nightclub, and may be having a relationship with a man named Darby Reese (Josh Lucas, slime personified). As the movie opens, Margaret is paying a visit to the club to tell Mr. Reese to stay away from her son. Not long after the visit, a drunken Reese shows up at their property and meets Beau in the boathouse, where things take a violent turn. The next morning Margaret discovers Reese's body, and makes an impulsive decision to dump it in the lake to keep her son from being implicated in a murder investigation. This decision sends her spiralling into an increasingly desperate frenzy of activity, but every move she makes to try to protect her son seems to lead her deeper and deeper into trouble. Adding fuel to the fire is the arrival of a man named Alek Spera (E.R's Goran Visnjic) who plays Margaret a videotape of her son and Darby Reese in a compromising situation, and threatens to make the tape public unless she pays him $50,000. Margaret frantically but unsuccessfully tries to raise the money, of which she informs Spera, who in turn informs his partner in crime Carlie Nagel, a wonderfully nasty Raymond J. Barry (Pa Cox in The Dewey Cox Story). Nagel pressures Spera to do whatever has to be done to get the money, but after spending time with Margaret and getting to know her situation, Spera begins to see himself through her eyes and becomes reluctant to carry out Nagel's orders. This prompts Nagel to take matters into his own hands, eventually leading to a confrontation between the two blackmailers. What I find especially great about the film is that every single character seems three-dimensional and real, even Nagel, though he's a right bastard. Even Margaret's two younger children and her father-in-law are given a chance to develop, and they add some nice comic relief to the film. The performances are all top-notch, especially Swinton of course, but Visnjic brings a wonderful bruised vulnerability to the conflicted Alek, and Jonathan Tucker is a tightly-wound ball of teenage angst as the young son trying to come to terms with his own sexuality. In addition, the beautiful Lake Tahoe locations give the film a very original look and feel. I found the The Deep End to be uncommonly engrossing, even after repeated viewings, and I highly recommend it, certainly for fans of Tilda Swinton, but also for lovers of a thriller that breaks the mold and dares to be different.
  • crackingdanio
    October 23, 2008
    crackingdanio
    Really great Noir thriller that I came across by chance, only 2euro what a bargain. Tilda Swinton is fantastic as the mom who will do anything to protect her son after he becomes involved in a murder.
    Great cast( Visnijc really needs more movie roles,and my only objection was Tu...( read more)cker's casting),anyway Tucker plays Swintons teenaged gay soon who is involved in a sexual relationship with 'bad guy' Josh Lucas, after an argument and some flying punches Lucas ends up dead, so it's up to Mummy to save the day. The body is disposed, everything is covered up until one day a mysterious stranger turns up at swintons door claiming he has evidence which implicates her son in Lucas' death. Superb blackmail film, with a bit of a twist
  • JeT0425
    July 16, 2006
    JeT0425
    Good god, what a film. I was sketchy about watching this because I was expecting a storyline that has been overdone. I was wrong. Tilda Swinton amazed me. Her performance didn't seem like she was acting at all. It was raw talent pouring through and her presence is frighteningly r...( read more)eal. One morning she stumbles upon the body of a man her son has been seeing. She assumes he has killed him and tries to hide all of the evidence. She dumps the body in the depths of the lake hoping everything will be alright. This is only the beginning of her problems. A man who she has never met before named Alec [Visnjic] comes to her house with a video tape of the dead man and her son together. He frames her with this tape threatening to expose her son to the police if she doesn't come up with $50,000 by the next day. The plot thickens as the movie commences, but the thing that holds all of the suspense together is Swinton's performance. Her character revolves around one basic emotion which gives Swinton not much room to convey her range of talents. She tackles this obstacle and becomes her character oh so naturally. She was so powerful, especially in the scenes with Visnjic. Visnjic also gives a solid performance, but lacks the emotional depth his character needed. One of the best films of 2001. This underrated gem of a film should be seen by more people. Please people, watch this film. It's fantastic.
  • mvieaddict
    September 14, 2009
    mvieaddict
    Image and video hosting by TinyPicfor language, violence and some sex scenes.

    The Deep End was a marvelous thriller drama of a mother, played by Tilda Swinton, doing ...( read more)anything to protect his son. And a blackmailer, played by Goran Visnjic. It's the relationship between the two that drives this movie, as Visnjic's character begins to change because of the decency and honesty he found in Swinton's character.The movie was interesting and well-acted. Tilda Swinton, Goran Visnjic they were all brilliant. Just love this movie.
  • skotjay
    November 23, 2009
    skotjay
    Great modern noir! All the acting is good, but Goran Visnjic is GREAT! (where's that dude now?)
  • graveling861
    April 12, 2009
    graveling861
    My favorite of Tilda Swinton's roles. It's dark but she's strong and I prefer it when she plays regular people.
  • Kizmeh07
    April 1, 2009
    Kizmeh07
    i can watch it soon..
  • mattbauer
    January 17, 2009
    mattbauer
    A stunning thing of beauty.

View All The Deep End Reviews

Critic Reviews

August 20, 2001
David Edelstein, Slate

Has a cool, glassy appeal -- but then, so does a fish tank. full review

August 15, 2001
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Remains rooted in the real world, which makes its story all the more satisfying -- and chilling. full review

August 15, 2001
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

It's intense and involving, and it doesn't let us go. full review

August 10, 2001
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

A thrummingly satisfying '40s-style women's melodrama cleverly disguised as an art-house picture. full review

August 2, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Springs surprises that entertain and provoke. full review

View more The Deep End reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

This board looks lonely. Be the first to talk about "The Deep End" !

Post A Comment | View All Comments

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

All Rotten Tomatoes content is used under license from Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes, Certified Fresh, and the Tomatometer are the trademarks of Incfusion Corporation, d/b/a Rotten Tomatoes, a subsidiary of IGN Entertainment, Inc.

Official Trailer

View Larger The Deep End Trailer

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Doubt
    Doubt (0%)
  • Young Adam
    Young Adam (50%)

More Movies like The Deep End

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

The Deep End : Watch Free on TV

The Deep End Trivia

  • How many people had survived at the end of 'Deep Blue Sea'?  Answer »
  • who was in batman returns,the deep end of the ocean,and up close and personal  Answer »
  • Which actress was in The Deep End, Vanilla Sky, Constantine, and The Beach ?  Answer »
  • in the movie, deep end of the ocean, how did the mom find her son?  Answer »
More The Deep End Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for The Deep End. Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add The Deep End to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?