CHLOE - Egoyan's Soft-Porn

CHLOE (suspense drama)
Cast: Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Julianne Moore, Nina Dobrev, Max Thieriot and Meghan Heffern
Director: Atom Egoyan
Screenplay: Erin Cressida Wilson
Time: 95 mins
Rating: * * 1/2 (out of 4)

Seyfried and Moore in CHLOE

PREAMBLE: There are two things to note about this 2009 release: That its filming was interrupted by the tragic death of Liam Neeson's wife Natasha Richardson (on March 19, 2009), and that it has some rather shocking scenes (of Julianne Moore and starlet Amanda Seyfried) which have been censored for screening in Malaysia.

On the first point, it was feared that the tragedy may have contributed to the seemingly abrupt ending of the movie, and on the second, I want to clarify that I watched the uncensored DVD in the US last year and found that the erotic sequences certainly helped to build the sexually-charged atmosphere of the plot.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Adapted from the French movie Natalie, its plot is about gynaecologist Dr Catherine Stewart (Moore) who suspects her husband David (Neeson), a professor of music, of having an affair with one of his students. She tests his fidelity by hiring social escort Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to seduce him and then report the details to her.

Although the couple and their 17-year-old son (Max Thieriot as Michael) appear to be the ideal family, their careers and raising a child have put strains on the marriage. Their relationship is suffering from loss of communication and Catherine's own insecurity about her age. However, her attempt to catch David at cheating on her turns out to be more that what she had bargained for...

HITS & MISSES: Director Atom Egoyan and scripter Erin Cressida Wilson have devised very credible characters in the Stewart family. Moore's busy doctor, and Neeson, as her flirtatious hubby, are representative of folks suffering from mid-life crises. A case in point is when Catherine makes a fuss about her son's girlfriend prancing about the house in her underwear. This, we learn, is more because of her jealousy (of the girl's youth) than of moral propriety.

Thieriot is also well portrayed as an estranged son seeking privacy and freedom from 'over-caring' parents.

My problem with the movie lies in the character of Chloe who remains too much of an enigma even though her actions are self-explained. With her sexy looks and self-confidence, she could have anyone she wants, both male and female. That's why the plot, especially the abrupt ending, seems to have been rushed and incomplete. It is no fault of Seyfried who seems to have made this role a breakthrough for her career.

THE LOWDOWN: If you are interested, get the (authentic) DVD.