Deceived (1991)

(In French, On Cable TV, October 2021) Sometimes, casting is not about putting familiar actors in familiar roles, but having them play against type and bring something new to a formula. Seeing Goldie Hawn in an unusually dramatic role in Deceived is more interesting than many other casting decisions, for instance. It certainly helps bring some interest into a twisty suspense that nonetheless feels very familiar: a wife discovering that her loving husband is someone else, living a double and even triple life unbeknownst to her inattentive self. There is, despite the familiar elements, a solid core of mystery at the heart of the film that does get it going once past the lovey-dovey depiction of a perfect couple perfectly in perfect love. We know that these things don’t last long in thrillers, and before long the husband is dead (?), his identity is questioned, his new family revealed aaand he pops up again as a born-again psychopath. That’s the way such films go, and seeing Hawn dealing with this in a rare non-comic role is part of the fun. Still, Deceived manages to be both familiar and nonsensical—the over-the-top ending burning up much of the accumulated goodwill gathered so far. Not a terrible viewing experience, but ultimately a disappointing one—but the ride in getting there is not without its own fun.