Deception

One of the things that seems to plague a lot of movies these days is the "give the plot twist away in the trailer" syndrome, and Deception is no exception. Neat little word play, there.

Add to that the direction gives away a number of significant moments in the beginning of the movie and as a result, when it turns out that Hugh Jackman's Wyatt Bose is not Wyatt Bose at all and has been lying to Ewan McGregor's McQuarry for the entire beginning of the movie, the moment is a little muted.

And it's obviously supposed to be a bit of a twist, because the lead up to the event is designed to make us feel sympathy and warmth for Jackman. And, of course, the fact that Jackman is such an immensely likable and charismatic actor, you already feel that, so by the end of the movie you can't help hoping that, even though he's the villain of the piece, he will get away with his dastardly scheme.

The writer has taken some interesting points about someone trying to fool someone else into believing they are a third person, and it's particularly easy when the person you are trying to dupe doesn't have a fixed work place, such as auditors. Wyatt Bose is a clever character - he has clearly worked out exactly who he needs for his embezzlement, and by using McQuarry of all auditors - a man who is sexually desperate - and introducing him to the world of "The List" - a businessman's sex club - Bose manages to completely enthrall McQuarry and set him up for his inevitable downfall.

Almost gratuitiously, we have a romantic subplot, the nature of which does indeed become something of a surprise, although when McQuarry finally works it out, the audience isn't able to keep up with him due to him having knowledge the audience is unaware of. I've always been a believer that good drama should be like good comedy - in good comedy it is funny if the audience gets the joke just that little bit before the character does, and equally a twist is much better if the audience works it out just before the hero does - The Sixth Sense is a brilliant example of this. Michelle Williams (looking extremely hot and so much better than her "Dawson's Creek" days) is the girlfriend, and she and McGregor have an easy chemistry that makes it very believable when he falls for her - although when you find out about who she really is, her response to him is a little cliched (hello whore with a heart of gold).

However, and let's be blunt here, Hugh Jackman could make a film where all he does is drop a turd and it would still be hugely enjoyable entertainment. Deception has a clever plot and is slightly edgy, and Jackman proves what a consumate actor he is by showing how he can even play a callous prick (though we still love him).

"B+"