Deep Water Deep Water (2022)

Adrian Lyne’s long-awaited return to the director's chair with Deep Water (2022) attempts a modern resuscitation of the erotic thriller, a genre he masterfully defined. Far from a pedestrian plot recap, the film is a masterclass in sustained psychological tension, drawing heavily from Patricia Highsmith’s novel to explore the insidious decay within a seemingly idyllic suburban marriage. Lyne’s signature visual language, replete with lingering close-ups and an almost voyeuristic gaze, transforms domestic scenes into arenas of silent warfare. The omnipresent pet snails become an unsettling leitmotif, reflecting the couple's slow, deliberate descent into mutual entrapment and the chilling passivity of observed violence.

Ben Affleck delivers a captivatingly understated performance as Vic, a man whose placid exterior barely conceals a volatile possessiveness, a nuanced portrayal of a quietly unraveling psyche. Ana de Armas, as Melinda, embodies an intoxicating blend of vulnerability and manipulative allure, her character’s provocations serving as both a cry for attention and a perilous game. Their on-screen dynamic, a taut interplay of desire and contempt, is the film's beating heart, anchoring its exploration of toxic codependency and male obsession. While it may not reach the iconic status of Lyne’s 80s and 90s hits, Deep Water remains a compelling, albeit chilly, study of marital entropy and the dark undercurrents of affluence, a noteworthy addition to the neo-noir and domestic thriller canon.