Ewan McGregor and Hugh Jackman have been two of the most prolific actors since the new century began. Together they have made more than forty movies since 2000. Deception is their first film together, and it proves that perhaps they should have slowed down a bit and took their time on picking better projects.
McGregor plays a shy accountant, Jonathan, who keeps to himself. While auditing the books at a law firm, he meets a well dressed lawyer, Wyatt, who introduces him to a mysterious sex club known as The List. It is a group of successful wall street business types, men and women, who call each other at odd hours for sex and simply ask, “Are you free tonight?” No one asks or tells names. They just get together for the booty call and then get back to their jobs.
Jonathan is soon hooked as the free, uncomplicated sex is too good to pass up. One night he beds an older woman, Charlotte Rampling. He asks her why she does it. She responds, “It's intimacy without intricacy.” One girl he meets up with, he ends up falling for. She however, comes up missing and he is the prime suspect.
Deception starts out well enough as it is supposed to surprise you with it’s plot twists and turns. It is called Deception after all. However, once the girl disappears you can tell where everything is heading. Even before that happens, you know that everything is not as it seems. With the suspense removed from the picture, there is nothing left to hold onto, and thus the movie has no where satisfying to go.
Jackman and McGregor work well enough together. Each character switches their appearance in the movie and they are both convincing. It is unfortunate that they are far better than the material they are dealing with. Jackman was a co-producer on this film. Perhaps he should stick to being in front of the camera.
