| Deepwater |
 |
| Directed by |
David S. Marfield |
| Produced by |
Peter Wetherell,
Chris Coen |
| Written by |
Matthew F. Jones (novel),
David S. Marfield |
| Starring |
Lucas Black,
Peter Coyote,
Mía Maestro |
| Music by |
Charlie Clouser |
| Cinematography |
Scott Kevan |
| Editing by |
Eric Strand |
| Distributed by |
Monarch Home Video (USA, DVD),
Lightning Entertainment <media) |
| Release date(s) |
2005 (screening),
2006 (DVD, USA) |
| Running time |
93 min |
| Country |
 USA |
| Language |
English |
Deepwater is a 2005 neo-noir film directed and written (screenplay) by David S. Marfield. It is based on a novel written by Matthew F. Jones. It was screened at the Seattle International Film Festival on June 9, 2005 and the München Fantasy Filmfest in Germany on June 28, 2005.
Synopsis
Nat Banyon (Lucas Black) is a hitch-hiker whose dream is to open an ostrich farm in Wyoming. Early in the trip, he gets in a fight at a truck-stop bar and in the ruckus, takes his opponent's car keys, stealing his sports car. Continuing the journey, he finds a stranger (Peter Coyote) trapped in an overturned vehicle. He rescues him just as the car is completely destroyed by an incoming truck. Grateful for saving his life, the stranger, Herman Finch, hires Nat as the handyman for his motel. Nat soon learns that Finch runs a criminal network, acting in collusion with the police. Most of the locals are also in league with Finch. And everyone who irritates or opposes him soon turns up missing. They are then found dead.
Finch's young, attractive wife Iris (Mía Maestro) soon hatches a plan to run off with Nat, planning to steal Finch's ill-gotten gains. Soon, Finch begins manipulating Nat when the latter begins questioning him about all the mysterious activities that had been taking place. Finch challenges Nat to a boxing match. If Nat won, he would be free to leave and take his car as well as the salary that he had made as Finch's handyman.
Nat shows up to the fight after training himself to tip-top shape. When he steps into the ring, Finch suddenly reveals that the fight was a joke. Finch actually never intended Nat to leave; Nat had been too good of a worker and had learned about too many dark secrets. Enraged, Nat attacks Finch, and then rushes to the motel. There, he grabs Iris and tells her that they had to leave. It is at this time that Nat finally learns that she had been loyal to Finch all along and helped manipulate Nat into not leaving by pretending to love him. Even faced with this fact, Nat is too deeply in love with Iris to escape alone. He kidnaps her and speeds away. Unsure of where to go in the night, Nat follows Iris' directions. However, Iris deceives Nat to drive to the barn where he had seen Finch for the fight. In a final fit of frustration, Nat drives off into the water. He swims out to find Finch and the police waiting for him.
It is only later discovered that Nat was a schizophrenic who had multiple personalities. The film had only focused on his noble personality. Not only did he fix Finch's motel, Nat also helped Finch murder his enemies. His personalities were likely entirely unaware of each other. Nat is sent to a mental hospital where he falls deeper into mental illness, whimpering about the baby ostriches that he would now never have the chance to raise.
Cast
Trivia
In the film Banyon steals a Ford Thunderbird and when questioned about its year he states its either a '98 or '99 model. However, no Thunderbirds were made from 1998 until 2002 when the retro body style was introduced.
DVD
The region 1 DVD was released July 25, 2006.
External links
