Review of The Deep Blue Sea (2011) by Reid V — 25 Jul 2012

In the first few minutes of The Deep Blue Sea, we observe Hester Collyer (Rachel Weisz) as she gently prepares her fate. First jamming some fabric under the door to obstruct the airflow and then turning the gas on without the fire to relieve her lungs, she rests her head to die. Drifting into a toxin-induced reverie, director Terence Davies introduces us to the cause of Hesterâ(TM)s woe, former RAF pilot Freddie Page (Tom Hiddleston).

After cashing in on a deficient marriage to her husband Sir William Collyer, Hester finds herself in conflict with the pride of her betrothed and the sanctimonious gentility that continued to rule even amidst the wreckage of post-war England. Additionally, she must come to grips with the throes of passion that have seized the reigns of her heart and dramatically altered the course of her life. However, as her haughty mother-in-law disdainfully warns, Hester would be wise to beware of passion, as âit always leads to something ugly.â? Yet, while the path may be perilous, Hester is determined to live by her heart rather than the dictates of society.

Adapted from Terrence Rattiganâ(TM)s 1952 play of the same name, Davies isnâ(TM)t concerned with how this love triangle will pan out, but rather with showing one womanâ(TM)s journey as she takes stock of her life. The most arduous task of all is to attempt to make sense of the misery that you have caused others. How you have reacted, and the choices you have made when it seemed as though you were caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. Davies, aided by a spectacular performance from Weisz, fastidiously captures this suffocating process.

Trusting the material and his cast, Davies never once threatens to upstage his actors with overly conspicuous technical flourishes. Were he to try, I doubt that he could distract from the excellent performances. Tom Hiddleston is marvelous as the mercurial and often ill-tempered veteran. While I am sure that playing Loki in Marvelâ(TM)s mega-hits has helped to add some much-deserved 0â(TM)s to the balance in his checking account, it is roles such as these where Hiddleston excels. Also, as stated before and as pointed out by numerous other reviewers, Weisz will surely get some Oscar attention for her role.

At its best, The Deep Blue Sea is an attempt to understand the human spirit and the seemingly irrational desires that drive it. While the task may be ultimately impossible, the results are outstanding.