Back to trending
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.

Closed Circuit

Closed Circuit

Mystery · 2013

A high-profile terrorism case unexpectedly binds together two ex-lovers on the defense team - testing the limits of their loyalties and placing their lives in jeopardy.

Limbo

Limbo

Crime · 2023

Travis, a jaded detective, arrives in the remote outback town of Limbo to investigate the cold case murder of local Indigenous girl Charlotte Hayes 20 years ago. As truths about the murder begin to unfold, the detective gains a new insight into the unsolved case.

Appointment with Death

Appointment with Death

Thriller · 1988

Emily Boynton, the stepmother to three children, blackmails the family lawyer into destroying a second will of her late husband that would have freed the children from her dominating influence. She takes herself, the children, and her daughter-in-law on holiday to Europe and the Holy Land. At a dig, Emily is found dead and Hercule Poirot investigates.

The Caveman's Valentine

The Caveman's Valentine

Drama · 2001

Romulus, a misunderstood musician turned recluse hiding from personal demons in a New York City cave, finds the frozen body of a young drifter in a tree. The authorities, including his police officer daughter, claim the death is accidental. Romulus is convinced the man was murdered by a prominent art photographer but how can he prove he's right when everyone thinks he's insane?

Evil Under the Sun

Evil Under the Sun

Thriller · 1982

An opulent beach resort provides a scenic background to this amusing whodunit as Poirot attempts to uncover the nefarious evildoer behind the strangling of a notorious stage star.

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Til Death Do Us Part

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Til Death Do Us Part

TV Movie · 2021

Just days before Aurora’s wedding, a body is discovered, and she fears her father may be a suspect. She and Nick race to solve the cold case before they walk down the aisle.

Gosford Park

Gosford Park

Drama · 2001

In 1930s England, a group of pretentious rich and famous gather together for a weekend of relaxation at a hunting resort. But when a murder occurs, each one of these interesting characters becomes a suspect.

The Blue Gardenia

The Blue Gardenia

Crime · 1953

Upon waking up to the news that the man she’d gone on a date with the previous night has been murdered, a young woman with only a faint memory of the night’s events begins to suspect that she murdered him while attempting to resist his advances.

Murder in Three Acts

Murder in Three Acts

Crime · 1986

In Acapulco, Hercule Poirot attends a dinner party in which one of the guests clutches his throat and suddenly dies. The causes seem to be natural until another party with most of the same guests produces another corpse.

Before and After

Before and After

Crime · 1996

Two parents deal with the effects when their son is accused of murdering his girlfriend.

Where it lives

Watch in your region.

Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.

Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.

Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jonas Pate · Josh Pate

Written by

Josh Pate · Jonas 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.