Deception

A half-baked erotic thriller that's neither erotic nor thrilling, director Marcel Langenegger's Deception somewhat recalls 2005's Derailed, featuring Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston. Here, timid and lonely accountant Jonathan McQuarry (Ewan McGregor) is inexplicably befriended by a powerful high-living lawyer named Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman), and accidentally stumbles into the latter's involvement in an exclusive sex club with anonymous partners (where Natasha Henstridge and Charlotte Rampling shine in cameos as members ). Intoxicated by his sudden immersion in this heady lifestyle, the accountant falls head over heels for an enigmatic young woman (Michelle Williams) who turns out to be a co-conspirator in a scheme that threatens to ruin Jonathan and defraud his clients of millions. Derailed isn't the only movie from which screenwriter Mark Bomback seems to have cherry-picked scenes and situations. Unfortunately, the multiple borrowings result in a confused, convoluted narrative that requires unbelievable maneuvers on nebbish Jonathan's part (including a sophisticated understanding of police procedures and an unsuspected knack for document forgery). Not a necessary purchase. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Marcel Langenegger, the 19-minute “making-of” featurette “Exposing the Deception,” a 10-minute “Club Sexy” behind-the-scenes featurette, two deleted scenes and an alternate ending w/optional commentary (5 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing thriller.] (E. Hulse)