Chloe

(96 min, 2009)
Plot: A doctor hires an escort to seduce her husband, whom she suspects of cheating, though unforeseen events put the family in danger.
Director: Atom Egoyan
Writers: Erin Cressida Wilson (screenplay), Anne Fontaine (motion picture "Nathalie")
Stars: Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfried and Liam Neeson
(spoilers)

Hairpin fiasco

This movie had a potential but one of the worst casting decisions I've seen blew it. That and in addition implausible script, but sometimes the actors are so good, you try hard not to notice how silly the story really is. However, Amanda Seyfried has managed to screw up so badly, even actors like Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore at their finest cannot rescue „Chloe”.

I have no idea who thought casting Seyfried as exclusive hooker would be a good idea. She doesn't have the looks for it. You know, how the reviewers write things like „an actress of unique beauty” when they don't wanna say someone is far from being beautiful? Yeah, that's the case. She has nice body and very pretty hair, but out of thousands of hookers in the world the idea that this one would actually get clients is just preposterous. Bulging eyes don't make her interesting. But that's not the worst - she acts slutty, she behaves in a vulgar way, common way, without giving viewer a hint of knowledge that she would actually be capable of making a man desire her. She was supposed to be mysterious and fascinating, instead that whole performance is forced and laughable. To call her 'whorish' in this film would be a compliment, I find the word itself to have more class than her performance. When trailer triumphantly says 'and Amanda Seyfried as Chloe” I guess it was supposed to drag all the „Mamma Mia” fans to the theater. Horrible, horrible casting. I mean are we really in such deep crisis that we don't have beautiful young actress? Is Scarlett and Angelina all we got? Amanda should stick to the roles like her work in “Big Love” and “Jennifer's Body”. This is, well, out of her league.

It is almost insulting for me as a movie fan, that Liam Neeson and Julianne where in the same movie with Seyfried. They are both outstanding – from what I gathered “Chloe” shooting took place at the same time Neeson's wife passed away. He took a break and then came back to finish his performance in two days – this absolutely shocked me. He really is a tremendous actor to be able to create such a great performance in the time of enormous emotional distress, in the movie that mediocre. Moore is shining powerfully in the film - I cannot even give you the one particular scene that I find the best in terms of her acting – the whole performance is very convincing and consistent.

The story is absurd – wife is suspecting that her husband is cheating on her, so she pays money to the prostitute, in order for her to seduce him. Now, dear reader, you probably think what I was “she wants evidence, perhaps to make a killing in a divorce!”. No! She doesn't. All she wants, and now prepare for it, is to know what excites her husband, 'cause she misses him. If that's not pathetic, then I don't know what is. Anyways, the hooker lies, the wife cheats, the husband forgives, the idiotic ending follows. Cliché is chasing after cliché.

There is however a lesbian love scene, which I am sure will be reason good enough for many to watch it. Given that I have not seen many scenes like that, I am not gonna judge it, but words of admiration for both actress are required.  No body doubles were used, which is courageous, especially for Moore, who after all is 50 years old and still so beautiful, that I have no idea how would any man prefer slutty little 20 year old over her.

The movie has great atmosphere, the interiors, the clubs, the glasshouse, the cafes – it's all very cool and backed up with Mychael Danna's music – he is nowhere near of being a great composer, but it all fits nicely. However the best thing about the movie is that Chloe aggressively promotes band called Raised by Swans, of which two songs are featured in the movie. That band's two albums are so much better than this film.
If you want to see good erotic thriller you will not be happy with "Chloe", the climate is there, the characters are there, but there are also too many distractions of poor quality. Still, fans of Neeson and Moore will be very happy, if they won't let the anger of those two terrific actors staring in the movie like that take over them.

If only they found someone interesting to play Chloe and change the screenplay a little that could really be a good movie.

52/100