THE DEEP END OF THE OCEAN

US, 1999, 108 minutes, Colour.
Michelle Pfeiffer, Treat Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Jonathan Jackson, Ryan Merriman, John Kapelos, Tony Musante, Rose Gregorio.
Directed by Ulu Grosbard

Beth Cappadora has three children whom she takes to a high school reunion. The oldest boy, Vincent, is looking after the others, but the baby Kerry disappears. Distraught, Beth tries every avenue to try to find the child. She loses interest in everything, clashes with her husband, gives up her job as a professional photographer. The police try to help but are unsuccessful in finding the lost child.

The Cappadoras move to Chicago and the years pass. When Beth notices the boy who mows the lawn, she becomes convinced that it is her son. He calls himself Sam. Beth goes to see his father and discovers that it was her schoolfriend at the reunion who stole the child. She later married but then killed herself.

With the discovery of his identity, Sam is torn between the memory of his putative mother, his generous stepfather and remembering his own family. His brother, Vincent, is hostile. Sam returns to his stepfather. Vincent behaves badly and is taken to prison. However, Sam returns and tries to reconcile with his brother and to find his place in his family.

This is a very emotional movie, playing on the fear of children being abducted, the impact of their disappearance and of the emotional confusion should they be found later and are torn between two families. This theme was well explored in the telemovie Will You Remember Me with Patty Duke and Stephen Dorff.

The movie is directed by Ulu Grosbard who has had a long career in directing theatre but who has made movies spasmodically for over thirty years. They include The Subject Was Roses, Straight Time, True Confessions, Falling in Love, Georgia). The screenplay is based on a book by Jacquelyn Mitchard.

Michelle Pfeiffer (in one of her 'unglamorous' roles) plays the grieving and embittered mother who, when she rediscovers her son, realises that he is experiencing an emotional struggle for his identity. Treat Williams is the understanding father who later takes a hard line on the issue. Whoopi Goldberg has moments as a policewoman with the sympathetic touch.

The movie wears its heart on its sleeve which may be too feeling for those who prefer reticence or who are self-conscious about emotional display. However, it does dramatise a serious issue for a wide and popular audience.

1. The title? The experiences of a mother and father? Loss, finding the child again? The demand to be selfless?


2. The American cities, the 1980s and 90s, homes, restaurants? Chicago, the bigger restaurant, the streets? The musical score?

3. The portrait of an ordinary family, the three children, the work of each parent? The introduction with the game of hide and seek (and Sam’s later memory)? Goinig to Chicago, Vincent not wanting to go? Vincent minding Ben, the crowd, the friends? Ben disappearing? Vincent’s responsibility? Beth’s? The frantic search, the detective and his taking charge, bringing the police, Candy Bliss and her reassurances? Pat’s arrival? The weeks passing, the available the failure in finding Ben? Beth and her return home?

4. Pat, his character, reaction, blame or not? Vincent and his ignoring the situation, trying to be normal, school? Beth, her moods, not wanting to live, going through ordinary things, caring for the baby, spending a lot of time asleep, not talking directly with Pat? His offering the photo opportunity? Her taking it up? The tension at the Christmas gathering of the family, and Pat’s mother bringing the gifts for Ben?

5. The work of Candy Bliss? Her explaining all her minority background?

6. Nine years passing, Beth surviving, Pat opening the big restaurant, success? Beth and her work? Vincent, teenage, problems, school? Kerry growing into a young girl? Her life and problems? Candy and her continued friendship with Beth? Saying that Beth had made a life?

7. Sam coming to the door, Beth’s reaction, doing the mowing, photographing him? Vincent knowing about it? Kerry? Talking to Candy, the police? Pat and his concern? The fingerprints matching?

8. Going to Sam’s father, the sudden arrest? The story, seeing the photo of the actress in the house, her story, giving birth, the child dying, her stealing Ben? Marrying George, the adoption? Bringing him up as his own?

9. How to handle the situation? George and his love for Sam, wishing the best for him? Sam, coping with the information, the demands of Beth and Pat, moving in, the meals, the room? Being quiet? The tension in the basketball with Vincent? At night going back to his own bed? Pat’s demand that he be present for the family reunion? Confronting Beth?

10. Beth, taking Sam to the cemetery, the discussions about age? Taking photos? Talking to Sam, the realisation of what was happening?

11. The argument with Pat, his harshness, Beth and her understanding, realising that she had to be selfless? A new situation?

12. Beth, giving Sam back to George?

13. The return, George urging him to go, with a suitcase, the basketball with Vincent? Vincent confessing that he was negligent and told Ben to get lost? His relief in telling the story? Sam’s acceptance?

14. The future possibilities for this family after all that they had gone through?