DEPRAVITY

US, 2024, 115 minutes, Colour.

Devon Ross, Victoria Justice, Taylor John Smith, Dermot Mulroney, Sasha Luss, Alex Roe.

Directed by Paul Tamasy.

Depravity is a challenging title. Not just wicked, depraved.

The film introduces us to 3 young people, in their 20s. Alex is handsome, man about town, smug, and, we discover, some rather depraved greed and its consequences. Then there are the roommates, Grace, pleasant and attractive, getting caught up in some violence and becoming the victim of violence. And then there is Aria, an art student, roommate, becoming involved but seeming to keep a distance from what goes on.

What goes on is their suspicions of an older sinister-looking gentleman, who goes on walks with his dog, always looking grim, as mysterious and exotic visitors. There is talk of a serial killer. The trio is tempted to suspect him, find a way into his apartment, getting into the crawlspace above the roof, investigating his room, discovering a great deal of money. But, for the drama, of course, the sinister man returns and there are dire consequences for him and, ultimately, for the others.

Also involved in the action is a glamorous but suspicious woman with a foreign accent who visits, is wary of the disappearance of her patron, bringing along a boyfriend, with an accent and blonde hair like a British teddy boy. Also in the act is a detective, rather more casual than the usual New York detective.

So, all kinds of suspicions, deaths, hiding of bodies, mysterious international criminals, the background of the theft of priceless art, mysterious money hidden away.

Dermot Mulroney is the sinister gentleman next door. John Taylor Smith is the superficially charming but greedy Alex. Victoria Justice is the more glamorous Grace. Devon Ross is the underestimated Aria.

A number of unexpected twists throughout the screenplay – and a twist at the end which some astute audiences might have picked.

1. The tone of the title, expectations? As applied to each of the characters?
2. The introduction to the central characters, their personalities, age and experience, relationships, Aria, her art, the paintings, her work, reserved personality? Friendship with Grace, Grace more open? Alex, charm, opportunist?
3. The apartments, suspicions, Mr Evers, his appearance, sinister, with the dog, walking?
4. The background of stalking and serial killers, their suspicions of Mr Evers, wanting to get which room, Alex and his using the roof, Mr Evers returning, Grace on guard, getting out of the situation?
5. Mr Evers, the possibility of his being a killer, the finding of the money, the artworks, Tovia and her glamorous style and look, her suspicious of Mr Evers absence, her return, confrontations? Her boyfriend and his menacing presence?
6. Mr Evers returning, the guns, Grace, killing him, wrapping his body, lowering it down the chute? Its eventually falling, burning?
7. The repercussions of these events on each of the characters, Alex, no conscience, greed, the money, getting rid of the body? Grace, the relationship with Alex, anxieties, some touch of conscience? Aria, her involvement, seeming detachment?
8. The police investigations, the detective, suspicions, the money, the artwork? His behaviour with the suspects?
9. The criminals, arriving, Tovia and her style? The boyfriend? The dramatic confrontations, hiding, searching for the art? Guns? Fights, shootings? Grace dying? Alex and his being tied up, suspended in the chute?
10. Aria, her behaviour, the artwork, the money, involved but seems seeming detachment?
11. Alex, his death, greed?
12. The search for the paintings, Aria, in the apartment, hiding, finding the paintings – and the irony that she was the art thief?