Secrets of Deception

No pun intended, but there are not that many secrets here and calling what happens deception? Well at least anyone who watches this will get the definition of deception explained to them at the beginning of the movie - even if the movie could have done without it. And it would not even be a nightmare if it had done so (no pun intended). It has some interesting casting choices and the actors are fine usually (most of them that is) ... so I have to assume that script and/or directing (maybe influence from producers, but I doubt it with a small production like this) did backfire ... there is not much for them to work with either of course. Editing can't save much ... so this is subpar and maybe I am being way too generous once again .. but it also has some fun moments ... go figure.

Stylistically, "Secrets of Deception" was cobbled together in a way that resulted in a peculiar, disjointed timeframe. The filmmakers played loose with a pattern of mini-flashbacks that led to a confusing sequence of events in what should have been a straightforward, linear crime-of-passion narrative. The protagonist, Jeff Schaefer, has money to burn, and his latest investment appears to be in his young wife, Kim. But when he suspects her of being unfaithful, he hires a hit team, then backs out of the deal at the last minute. This was another one of the confusing moments when the filmmakers skipped around in time. While Kim is not killed, her young lover has his throat slit, and the killer decides to blackmail Jeff. The story unfolds through the confusing fragments due to either sloppy editing, a poorly conceived screenplay, or both. The cast was decent, but a major problem was that neither Jeff, Kim, nor the young lover were sympathetic characters. The only likeable character was Jeff's young daughter Brooke. In good examples of film noir, there may be violence and the characters may be sleazy. But there is typically at least one character that offers a moral compass. In "Secrets of Deception," there were no redeeming values, especially in the film's dishonest ending that apparently gives Jeff Schaefer a second chance to deal with the mess of a life that he created for himself.

Jeff's wife (Sydney Black) is unfaithful. Jeff (Chris Degner) contracts killers. Tom Sizemore was a minor role as a in between man whose role seems to have been forced into the script to get the film past an hour. The film is told with an after the fact investigation as a subplot. It looks like they made the film, cut it up into little snippets and tossed them up into the air, splicing things together at random. It was not chronological and it didn't make the film any better or a mystery with the jumble. Robert LaSardo type cast as a bad guy. Acting and characters were bad. Guide: F-words. Sex. No nudity.

Not sure about all the behind the scenes drama from the EMO reviewers, but as a regular guy who likes movies, I enjoyed it. Great acting, great editing, I like non-linear style of editing, it made the story more interesting. I would recommend this film to anyone wanting to watch a good film.