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Deceiver

Deceiver

Mystery · Crime · Drama · 1997

The gruesome death of a prostitute brings suspicion on one of her clients, James Wayland, a brilliant, self-destructive and epileptic heir to a textile fortune. So detectives Braxton and Kennesaw take Wayland in for questioning, thinking they can break the man. But despite his troubles, Wayland is a master of manipulation, and during the interrogation, he begins to turn the tables on the investigators, forcing them to reveal their own sinister sides.

Movie details

Deceiver

“There are two sides to every lie.”

1997 Mystery · Crime · Drama 1h 46m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.0 / 10

Community rating

The gruesome death of a prostitute brings suspicion on one of her clients, James Wayland, a brilliant, self-destructive and epileptic heir to a textile fortune. So detectives Braxton and Kennesaw take Wayland in for questioning, thinking they can break the man. But despite his troubles, Wayland is a master of manipulation, and during the interrogation, he begins to turn the tables on the investigators, forcing them to reveal their own sinister sides.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Deceiver?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jonas Pate · Josh Pate

Written by

Jonas Pate · Josh Pate

Tim Roth

Tim Roth

James Walter Wayland

Michael Rooker

Michael Rooker

Detective Edward Kennesaw

Renée Zellweger

Renée Zellweger

Elizabeth

Chris Penn

Chris Penn

Detective Phillip Braxton

Rosanna Arquette

Rosanna Arquette

Mrs. Kennesaw

Karina Logue

Karina Logue

Sorority Girl

Ellen Burstyn

Ellen Burstyn

Mook

Court is in session

Put Deceiver on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.