Deception (2008)

An accountant is introduced to a mysterious sex club known as The List by his lawyer friend. But in this new world, he soon becomes the prime suspect in a woman's disappearance and a multi-million dollar heist.

Director:

Marcel Langenegger

Writer:

Mark Bomback

Stars:

Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, Michelle Williams

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ewan McGregor	...	Jonathan McQuarry
Hugh Jackman	...	Wyatt Bose
Michelle Williams	...	S
Bruce Altman	...	Lawyer #1
Andrew Ginsburg	...	Lawyer #2
Stephanie Roth Haberle	...	Assistant Controller
Christine Kan	...	Tennis Player
Dante Spinotti	...	Herr Kleiner / Mr. Moretti
Karolina Muller	...	Waitress (as Karolina Müller)
Agnete Oernsholt	...	Woman at Waldorf Astoria
Melissa Rae Mahon	...	Velvet Rope Dancer #1
Rachel Montez Minor	...	Velvet Rope Dancer #2 (as Rachel Montez Collins)
Holly Cruikshank	...	Velvet Rope Dancer #3
Deborah Yates	...	Tango Dancer
Bill Camp	...	Clancey Controller

Storyline

Cat and mouse. Jonathan McQuarry is an auditor in Manhattan, moving from office to office checking their books. While working late, a smooth and well-dressed man named Wyatt Bose chats Jonathan up, offers him a joint, and soon they're pals. When their cell phones are accidentally swapped, Jonathan answers Wyatt's phone to a series of women asking if he's free tonight. Jonathan discovers it's a sex club: busy powerful people meet each other anonymously in hotels. Jonathan falls for one of the club members, whom he knows only as "S," whom he's also seen on a subway. When she goes missing, patterns emerge and Jonathan faces demands involving violence and lots of money.

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Plot Keywords:

lawyer | heist | erotic thriller | scheme | scam | 

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Taglines:

When you're in this world, no one is who they seem, and everyone is playing the game.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content, language, brief violence and some drug use

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish Cantonese

Release Date:

25 April 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

The List

Filming Locations:

Instituto Cervantes, Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,312,146, 27 April 2008, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$4,597,760, 22 June 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rifkin-Eberts, Seed Productions, Dune Entertainment III

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michelle Williams and Natasha Henstridge previously appeared in Species (1995), where they both played younger and older versions of the same character.

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Goofs

In the narrative of the story, the point is made that the intent of one of the rules of The List is that of anonymity. When McQuarry met the Wall Street Belle (Charlotte Rampling's character), while she herself offers no clues to her identity, she makes no effort to conceal it either. McQuarry easily learns her identity when he sees her portrait on the cover of Forbes magazine.

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Quotes

Jonathan McQuarry: Why should I trust you... everything you told me was a lie
Wyatt Bose: Oh... not lies Jonathan... that was FOREPLAY... now you are F... !

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Crazy Credits

The end credit sequence initially lists Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor as "Ewan Jackman" and "Hugh McGregor" before forming the correct names.

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Connections

Featured in Exposing 'Deception': The Making of the Film (2008)

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Soundtracks

Price You Pay
Performed by Unkle
Written by James Lavelle (PRS), Richard File (PRS), and Christopher Allen Goss (as Chris Goss) (PRS)
Published by Copyright Control/Baby Cole Music
Courtesy of Surrender All Ltd.
By Arrangement with Zync Music Inc.
Contains a sample of the track Eruption, taken from the album Prisms
by Michael Garrison [203920]
Courtesy of Siebenpunkt/Mint Records Germany.
Written by Michael Garrison
Licensed courtesy of Siebenpunkt/Mint Records
www.unkle.com

User Reviews

You'll be thoroughly entertained! as long as you don't expect to much.

Its not perfect by no means, the script has much to be desired and at times the acting was unconvincing. But when I went into the Cinema I wasn't expecting anything mind-blowing, in fact I wasn't expecting anything at all. Surprisingly I didn't seam to find the movie overly predictable, however at times its dramatically far fetched. Notably the complete stupidity of a shooting occurring in broad day light in a busy European city going unnoticed. All this being said, the movie is entertaining. I wasn't at any moment particularly board with its rather slow beginning moving on to a fast paces final hour. Surprisingly Ewan McGregor seamed to portray the role fairly well with the exception of a few noticeable accent slips. Michelle Williams on the other hand has much to be desired. In no way am I suggesting she's a great actress but I was surprised at how unconvincingly she portrays a rather simple role. Its definitely a mixed bag, where on one hand its very engaging and on the other it has obvious flaws. I recommend it, you'll be thoroughly entertained but try not going in the theatre expecting to much.