Deception review: An insufferable tale of an author’s many love affairs

2.5/5

STORY: Philip Roth (Denis Podalydès) is a Jewish-American author who is currently living in London to finish his new book. While he shares a passionate relationship with his ladylove several years younger than him, his works of fiction continue to draw inspiration from the other illicit relationships in his life.

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REVIEW: Acclaimed Jewish-American author Philip Roth (Denis Podalydès) is ruffling through handwritten notes at his charming work studio in London, when his mistress L’amante Anglaise (Léa Seydoux) pays him a visit. Set in the late 1980s, the clickety typewriter and telephone are among the regulars of the warmly lit backdrop. The lovers indulge in readings, hours of conversations and playful seduction in their secluded pad, temporarily forgetting their otherwise ‘miserable’ lives.

He has a habit of making a note of some of the things she says, which occasionally also trickle into the storylines of his novels. The problem is that L’amante is not his only muse who has probably slipped as a character into the plot of the stories he pens. There are more women in different age groups, whom he has met at different stages of his life and they seem to be equally affectionate toward him.

Cannes favourite French film director-screenwriter Arnaud Desplechin’s adaptation of American author Phillip Roth’s novel Deception, however, turns out to be more mediocre than impressive. The film’s way-too-dreamy approach presents a brilliant writer’s many love affairs, who eventually become characters in his works of fiction. In doing so, though, the tragicomic story of romance struggles to hold your attention through the 102-minute runtime. Be it a student from one of his literature classes, a Czech woman who once served as a secret agent or someone who now spends most of her time in the hospital bed, Philip seems to be in touch with every one of them, not forgetting his mistress whom he can’t do without. Interestingly, all his past acquaintances are still smitten by his cerebral prowess and intelligent maneuvering. He manages to strike a chord with the women he spends time with, and they naturally serve as fodder to build characters.

Yet, during a courtroom trial, he is accused of publishing books that cause women suffering. Questions are raised about sexism, misogyny and ruthless seduction that he practices in life and also writes about. Ironically though, one who claims to masterfully understand the nuances of a woman’s mind remains grossly adrift when speaking with his own wife, as their private time is riddled by arguments and lies.

VERDICT: With intimacy, melancholy and imaginative possibilities jostling for space, you tend to lose interest in what the narrative is actually trying to convey. The absurdity seems to outweigh the true essence of the plot. Nevertheless, you’ll love Deception’s female characters - Rosalie (Emmanuelle Devos), La Tchèque (Madalina Constantin) and L’étudiante (Rebecca Marder). L’amante, though, stands out with her scintillating performance.

*Reema Gowalla is an arts and culture journalist, who mostly writes about theatre and independent cinema, and sometimes also delves into culinary heritage.