Deep Water review: Ben Affleck, Ana de Armas in enjoyably trashy erotic thriller

3/5 stars

Deep Water, starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, is an erotic thriller from the one-time master of them: British director Adrian Lyne, the man behind 9½ Weeks , Fatal Attraction , Indecent Proposal and Unfaithful, populist classics of the ’80s, ’90s and ’00s that explored the intersection of morality and sexuality.

Lyne is 81 now, but Deep Water – his first movie in 20 years – still finds him peering in through the same steamy windows. Scripted by Zach Helm and Sam Levinson, it comes adapted from the Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name.

Affleck plays Vic Van Allen and de Armas is his wife, Melinda. This wealthy New Orleans couple, parents to young daughter Trixie, are splintering, their marriage torn apart by infidelity. Curiously, Vic seems content with allowing his wife to see other men. Or rather, he puts up with it – as seen early on when he glimpses Melinda kissing a handsome young blonde man at a party.

Is she doing it deliberately, to provoke him? Is it mind games? Are they both getting off on this twisted “open” relationship? Events get even murkier when the body of one of Melinda’s male “friends” turns up, just days after Vic jokes that he killed him.

Suddenly, all the townspeople are chattering, believing that – yes – Vic is a murderer. Family friend Lionel Washington (Tracy Letts) becomes particularly convinced of his guilt and isn’t afraid to say it.

He’s an observer, a voyeur even, watching Melinda as she drunkenly cavorts at social gatherings, sings songs at the piano and flirts brazenly with men. It’s embarrassing to him, but his jealousy is twisted up with his obsession and love for her.

De Armas, just as she was in 007 movie No Time to Die , is the film’s minx-like highlight, while there’s a neat turn from Finn Wittrock as Damon, one of the men Melinda takes a shine to.

Deep Water will start streaming on Amazon Prime on March 18.