Albert Henderson

In the film "Deep Water," there is no ocean, no lake, nothing but a mountain stream and a backyard swimming pool. The title begs to remind me of the old adage: "Still water runs deep." Why are critics like Amanda Hess of the NY Times disappointed at the blunted eroticism of "Deep Water?" Why isn't a talented director, in this case Adrian Lane, author of "Unfaithful" and "Fatal Attraction" allowed to move on, to focus past the naughty bits and feminism that were fresh decades ago? If you want really erotic content these days, it's all over the Internet. "Deep Water," starring Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck gives us a study in character that echoes fundamental archetypes. She is the adulteress. He appears to be the saint that loves the sinner but not the sin. She notices he will always love her - a Gospel theme. But then, he is only human. There must be consequences as conflict must be resolved. If only sin came with a conscience. If only sex were "meaningless." And therein lies the message of this salty tale.

David Suchet comes closer to the man I recall (from an earlier period) than I thought possible -- that is, without being more than 6 feet tall, and 400 lbs, with the voice of Darth Vadar. If anything else is wanting in this lively drama, it is the excellence of the personal insults that Maxwell hurled about. ( Perhaps his end came as the result of mocking the ancestors of the crew of the Lady Ghislaine.)