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Deceit (1990)

I was really caught by surprise by this film as I actually thought I was renting another. At first your jaw just drops at the unbelievably insane dialog spewed rat-a-tat like an old 50’d hardboiled potboiled and overripe melodrama but the performers really pull it off and slowly, like a crack fueled David Mamet play, you are drawn in. It is nothing more than a filmed stage play but its got such cool filmic touches that its not like most filmed plays. Its actually even more constrained than a stage play. So constrained that you find yourself inescapably sucked into the madness of the piece. all the actors are outstanding as I can’t imagine a more challenging piece to perform. Of particular note are Norbert Weisser, for the sheer thrill of his commitment to his bizarre character and Samantha Phillips who somehow manages to anchor the nightmare into a sort of reality where you care about what’s going on. Scott Paulin also is both hilarious and frightening in the same moment. I mean he becomes as frightening a character as you’ll ever see. Hell, the whole cast is wonderful. It’s like an off off Broadway experimental play by way of the Twilight Zone. At it even has a heartfelt ending with a real cautionary warning that is as absurd as it is absolutely true. Remarkable! My only complaint is the sound quality was uneven and the picture was a wee too dark at times.