Synopsis
Deep Water is a film set in the suburb of New Orleans, tracing the unconventionally bound relationship of Vic and Melinda Van Allen— a couple not brought together by affection, but by hidden truths, manipulation, and control laced with silent hostilities. Ben Affleck plays Vic, a former technologist with a drone warfare software startup, who has now shifted to nurturing snails and cycling. Melinda, played by Ana, is a head-turner and the life of the party. She is deeply unfulfilled with the life she has with Vic. Rather than suppress her affairs, she brings string of younger men to her and Vic’s dinner parties.
One evening, Vic, while joking, claims he has killed one of Melinda’s former lovers who had mysteriously vanished. This, as expected, sends shock waves to her new boyfriend and the rest of their social circle. As more men mysteriously start vanishing, Vic’s troubling behavior coupled with the rampant speculation results in a Yuletide of chaos. Melinda, for her part, ignores her husband’s suspicious behavior and continues her affairs.
Extreme behaviors shift from one party to the next, and from a couple’s party to a one-on-one dinner date. In the downpour of their suspicions, the couple’s transformation becomes evident.
Tensions reach a boiling point when Vic nonchalantly takes one of Melinda’s boyfriends, Tony, out for a bike ride, only to murder him and dump his body in a ravine. Don Wilson, a family friend, and something of an odd job detective is already suspicious of Vic and catches a glimpse of what he believes to be a crime in progress. Don loses control and crashes into a series of obstacles, ultimately dying.
While returning home, Melinda comes across Tony’s identification card, which is hidden among Vic’s possessions. Melinda knows the truth and chooses to remain silent, portraying a twisted sense of loyalty. In the final moments of the film, the couple is seen back together, driving into the sunset alongside their daughter Trixie.
Cast and Characters
Ben Affleck as Vic Van Allen. A stoic yet deeply disturbed man with an unsettlingly calm exterior that disguises his rage. Affleck gives a compelling performance that has moments of pure rage, epitomizing the quote, “anger is like a storm. You can’t control it.”
Ana de Armas as Melinda Van Allen: Unpredictable, bold, and unapologetic, Melinda pushes the boundaries of the quintessential housewife seeking to break free from a passionless and emotionally distant marriage.
Tracy Letts as Don Wilson. A family friend, suspicious of Vic who ends up being the moral compass for this twisted film.
As Melinda’s lovers, Finn Wittrock and Jacob Elordi, along with others, ultimately become mere pawns within the toxic web spun by the two lead characters.
Direction and Production
Deep Water marks the return of Adrian Lyne to filmmaking after a 20-year break. He is best remembered for earlier erotic thrillers like Fatal Attraction, Unfaithful, and Indecent Proposal. Here, as in his earlier works, Deep Water is permeated with psychological tension, sexual intrigue, and slow-burning suspense.
Zach Helm and Sam Levinson adapted the screenplay based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith, noted for her psychological thrillers such as The Talented Mr. Ripley. Highsmith’s novel is rooted in psychological realism with a thread of existential dread, while the film steers more toward erotic tension and emotional ambiguity.
The setting of the story—a lavish Southern town with affluent social gatherings and a genteel veneer—beautifully complements the unraveling of a marriage.
Analysis Deep Water
- Control in Relationships
Deep Water dives into the conflict between husband and wife. Melinda socially and sexually asserts herself, whereas Vic disguised under a calm demeanor, manipulates violence to re-establish power. Their relationship depicts a slow war of attrition, both testing the limits of the other.
- Moral Culpability and Complicity
Melinda and Vic are depicted as couples who share the same morally objectionable traits. Vic is not drawn out as the outright evil whereas Melinda is not drawn into the innocent globe either. They are both emotionally numb, manipulative, and flawed in their own ways. The film takes the audience to the territory where love is suspected to be a blend of violence, submission, and a spice of madness.
- Masculinity
Vic embodies someone whose socially accepted demeanor includes soft speech, passiveness making him a polite figure who masks deep-seated anger. Snail farming is a metaphor for the sluggish and soft-spoken demeanor he possesses. When his polite mask shatters, it unveils an active man who violently lashes out but disguises his actions as protective violence for his family.
- Theatricality of Marriage
The union of Van Allens is a staged act. They host parties, care for their daughter, and “function” as a family within society. Despite their ostensible participation, there is a profound and hollow emotional void underneath. Their bond is not one of love, but silence and an unspoken deal of secrecy and partnership. The film analyzes trust and affection in a relationship and the intimacy contributing to erosion.
Critical Reception
Following the release of Deep Water, there was mixed to negative feedback from both audiences and critics. Even with the criticism, there were positive notes about the film’s chemistry and sensual tension. The film’s stars Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, who were romantically involved for a short period during filming, contributed to the praise.
As critics pointed out, the first portions of the film were done greatly in building suspense. However, a good number of critics also pointed out that the final act felt rushed and unresolved. Conveying emotional resignation instead of the expected catharsis, the final scenes felt deeply anti-climactic.
Regardless of the lukewarm reception, the film was successful in generating conversations, especially since erotic thrillers have now become a rare sight in mainstream cinema.
Effects on Streaming and Box Office
Due to COVID-19, the film Deep Water Directed by Adrian Lyne pivoted from a theater release to a direct streaming release on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, marking a change in distribution strategy.
Even without a box office release, the film maintained significant streaming viewer levels, driven by curiosity from its stars and gripping storyline. Within the first three days after release, Deep Water capitalized on Hulu and Prime’s watches, and overtook the majority of watched films on the two platforms.
Final Comments
Lyne masterfully captures the meticulous details of a couple on the edge of separation in post-“leave the office” warfare. Deep Water penetrates and reignites a long dormant genre, but Lyne’s film ultimately proves that the master is not done yet.
Though the film is not at breathtaking levels, the sad and remote state of our reality proves Deep Water is a drastically necessary film. Reid and Ana delivered fascinating performances that thoroughly illustrated the toxicity of deeply sad marriages built on resentment and uncomfortable desires.Even if Deep Water doesn’t explore new ideas, it still provides an introspective view of a couple caught in a web of secrets, both participants in each other’s downfall, and in the end, held together by the darkness that should have separated them.
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