Deceived [DVD] [1992]

It never ceases to amaze me how so many films go unnoticed, unappreciated or unremembered. In DECEIVED's case, it's all three of those things. No one saw it when it came out. No one appreciated it over the following years, and no one really remembers it to this day. And that is truly a cryin' shame.

DECEIVED is one of those movies that, if released today, would be considered a "sleeper" thriller, as in, it won't set the box office alight immediately, but will slowly grow in popularity over time. I think what hindered this film ever getting the credit it truly deserved was that everyone went to see it expecting the typical Goldie Hawn vehicle. A light comedy where she acts like a loveable bimbo throughout. The fact that her co-star John Heard had just come off from the first Home Alone film as the affable Dad of Macauly Culkin, only cemented this fact further.

If you are reading this, then good for you! You are one step closer to purchasing a classic thriller from the early nineties that is the kind of film Alfred Hitchcock would gladly have called "Hitchcockian" in his own words! Without it being overly complicated in plot, especially after a few viewings to understand the first act better, DECEIVED is a real old-fashioned mystery suspenser.

Hawn plays the wife of Heard who dies in a car accident and after his burial, she comes to realise he was not the man she thought he was. Simple set-up, beautiful delivery, nail-bitting pay-off. In times when so-called suspense thrillers push every button imaginable in the audience to get superficial reactions by splattering the screen with blood and guts, sex and nudity, barrages of foul language and an ADD editing style, an older, more mature piece of work such as this, really shows you how great, original genre-based thrillers used to be constructed and made.

Goldie Hawn is magnificent as the betrayed wife in mourning. This film's box office failure drove her back to the comedies and she never really tackled this kind of dramatic role again. I think it is truly a shame she never found another vehicle like this in which to showcase her more than capable, fantastic acting talents. John Heard also gives the performance of his career here. His scenes as the loving husband and father, or as the ambiguous and enigmatic sociopath, convince on every level, and his subtle shifts from caring human being to monstrous menace are masterfully performed. The acting is stronger in this than in most modern thrillers these days.

As for the plot. Yes, it is kind of obvious what is really going on, but that matters not because this is a thriller that is just as much about CHARACTER and CONFLICT as it is about twists and turns. Director Damian Harris does a top-notch job making this a character driven piece about a woman whose life is totally turned upside down by truths she never knew. It is filmed with subtle, non-intrusive, stylistic flourishes that complement the scenes and the actors performances rather than "show-off" techniques employed in a Brian De Palma thriller.

Everything in this movie sits right. From the menacing mood and score, to the fine performances, the expertly staged direction and suspense sequences, all the way up to an expected, but exciting, edge of seat climax.

This was an early 1990's thriller that could fairly be classed in the same categories as other "domestic-psycho dramas/thrillers" such as PACIFIC HEIGHTS, THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE, UNLAWFUL ENTRY and SINGLE WHITE FEMALE. If you grew up watching those kind of movies and loved them, particularly those movies mentioned, then you will love DECEIVED. Indded, anyone who loves a good thriller with strong characters that doesn't rely on cheap shocks or titilation to give you thrills and chills will appreciate this great forgotten classic.

This film is more than exceptional, it has lots of twists and turns all the way through and keeps you on the edge of your seat as it nears its conclusion, which is absolutely brilliant. I do agree this is not what we are used to seeing when watching a Goldie Hawn film, but she is usually good in all her films and this is no exception. I cannot understand why this film doesn't appear to be as popular as most of her other films as it is equally as good.

This is a good film with plenty of suspense and mystery about it. Always find the end a bit creepy tho to say the least. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. Always good to find the woman outsmarts the man in the end!!