The Deep Blue Sea
Review by Anthony Morris
For decades in the middle of the century British
playwright Terence Rattigan wrote dramas where the idea of "stiff upper
lip" reigned supreme.
Whatever dramas his characters were going through, keeping a check on
your emotions was paramount, no matter what it cost you.
So when Terence Davis’ adaptation of Rattigan’s
1952 play The Deep Blue Sea opens with Hester Collyer (Rachel Weisz)
attempting suicide, you know things are in a pretty grim place indeed.
She's left her stuffy and understanding lawyer
husband (Simon Russell Beale) to be with the man she loves deeply and
completely, former RAF pilot Freddie Page (Tom Hiddleston).
Problem is, while Freddie is charming and fun and
still living in his Battle of Britain glory days (it’s now 1950 and the
war is long over), he's not really up to the task of being with a woman
like Hester, so while he's off down the pub or playing golf she’s
slowly dying inside.
A feel good fun film this is not, but as a look at
the damage love can do – Hester has basically given her life over to
the passion she feels, and then has to life with the fact that the man
she feels so strongly about simply isn’t worth it – this trip into a
black pit is compelling, haunting stuff.
Much of the success of this film comes down to
Weisz’ performance she’s completely understandable in her
neediness and always worth our sympathy even as we see just how badly
she's messed things up with her life.
4 out
of 5
The Deep
Blue Sea
Australian release: 12th April,
2012
Official
Site: The Deep Blue Sea
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston and
Simon Russell Beale
Director: Terence Davies
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