Chloe: Trashy Film from Atom Egoyan, Starring Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore

What has happened to the gifted director Atom Egoyan, who gave us such terrific films in the 1990s as “Exotica” and “The Sweet Hereafter (arguably his masterwork)?” It seems that he can’t find a suitable subject matter to which to apply his considerable talent, sharp intelligence and cinematic sensitivity. Egoyan has not made a really good movie in over a decade, and most of the output during that time was both artistically and commercially disappointing.
 
Egoyan’s latest, “Chloe” is not a bad movie, but it suffers from identity crisis. The film is unable to decide what kind of approach to take to its central issues, the nature of intimacy and trust, in this case, as they pertain to an upper-middle class family, themes that recur in most of Egoyan’s films.
 
Walking a fine line between a serious art film and a trashy sexual thriller, “Chloe” begins well but then gets progressively worse and utterly predictable and sleazy as it goes along. Indeed, the last reel is so silly and manipulative that it brings to mind mainstream Hollywood psycho-thrillers, such as “Fatal Attraction,” though that 1987 smash hit is a much better picture than “Chloe” on any level.
 
In the first (and best) reel, we are introduced to David (Liam Neeson), a music professor ending a lecture and about to fly back to New York. Cut to Toronto, where his wife Catherine (the estimable Julianne Moore) throws a surprise birthday party, which she has secretly planned for him.
 
One of David’s female students, Miranda, follows him, and the next thing we know, he misses his flight home from New York. Informed on the telephone of his inability to attend, Catherine is forced to swallow her disappointment and disregard any suspicions and return to her guests, who are just as shocked as she is.
 
Next morning, Catherine inadvertently reads a text message sent to David’s phone from his student Miranda, and begins to worry that something is wrong with their marriage. Catherine’s fear grows, when David his vague about the reason for not making his flight.
 
Representing a successful, presumably happy couple, Catherine is an accomplished doctor, and David a popular and flirtatious professor of music. The duo have a 17-year-old son, Michael (Max Thieriot), who’s just beginning to discover his own sexuality, entertaining at home a girlfriend—much to the resentment of his mom, though with the knowledge (and approval) of his dad.
 
To an outsider, David and Catherine have everything. But their careers and raising a child have put strains on the marriage, which has become sexually barren; their relationship suffers from loss of meaningful communication and genuine intimacy.
 
Two weeks after the surprise party, Catherine and David are at dinner with friends, when Catherine excuses herself to use the restroom. There she meets an alluring young woman, Chloe (Amanda Seyfried), who, surprisingly connects with Catherine. Returning to the table, she spots Chloe, working as an escort (read hooker). Catherine watches with interest as Chloe approaches an older businessman.
 
On the drive home Catherine finally asks David if he intentionally missed his flight from New York to stay for drinks. When he claims that he did not, she knows she has caught him in a lie. Growing more suspicious and insecure than ever before, Catherine is convinced that David is having an affair. As a result, Catherine seeks out Chloe as an escort, hiring her to test David’s fidelity. Meeting regularly, Catherine absorbs the explicit details Chloe shares of her encounters with David, how she met with him in public, felt his hard on, went down on him; some of these sexual acts are shown or hinted at in brief, vague flashbacks.
 
These tales upset Catherine, igniting her jealousy, but they also awakened in her long-dormant sensations. One thing leads to another, and the two women go to bed in a hotel. Increasingly caught in a web of sexual desire, Catherine finds herself on a personal journey that places her entire family in great danger, including son Michael who upon meeting Chloe at his mom’s clinic becomes enamored of her.
 
From that point, the movie goes rapidly downhill, and the narrative spins out of control—literally and figuratively. We know that it’s only a matter of time before Michael and Chloe will have sex in their parents’ bed–and will be cuaght. More importantly, we also expect David and Catherine confront each other directly and angrily. 
The very last sequence, involving accidental death and a series of reconciliations is embarrassingly manipulative and seems to belong to another, exploitative B-grade flick. 

It’s noteworthy that “Chloe” is a loose remake of the far superior French film “Nathalie,” and it’s the first film that Egoyan did not write. The sharply uneven scenario is penned by Erin Cressida Wilson, who also wrote the ironically entertaining erotic fable “Secretary,” with James Spader Maggie Gyllenhaal, and the poor biopic feature, “Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus,” starring Nicole Kidman, who was vastly miscast.

Is Atom Egoyan showing symptoms of the “dirty old man,” as Kubrick did when he stripped Nicole Kidman and caressed her body with his camera in “Eyes Wide Shut?”  Perhaps.  I have nothing against nudity, female or male, au contraire!  But in “Chloe,” Amanda Seyfried exposes her beautiful breasts in the first scene and proceeds to do so at least five or six time in the course of the film.

Reviewed March 10, 2010.

 
Cast
 
Catherine Stewart JULIANNE MOORE
David Stewart LIAM NEESON
Chloe AMANDA SEYFRIED
Michael Stewart MAX THIERIOT
Frank R.H. THOMSON
Anna NINA DOBREV
Receptionist MISHU VELLANI
Bimsy JULIE KHANER
Alicia LAURA DE CARTERET
Eliza NATALIE LISINSKA
Trina TIFFANY KNIGHT
Miranda MEGHAN HEFFERN
Party Guest ARLENE DUNCAN
Another Girl KATHY MALONEY
Maria ROSALBA MARTINNI
Waitress TAMSEN McDONOUGH
Waitress 2 KATHRYN KRIITMAA
Bartender ADAM WAXMAN
Young Co-Ed KRYSTA CARTER
Nurse SEVERN THOMPSON
 
Crew
 
Director ATOM EGOYAN
Writer ERIN CRESSIDA WILSON
Produced by IVAN REITMAN
Producers JOE MEDJUCK
JEFFREY CLIFFORD
Co-Producers SIMONE URDL, JENNIFER WEISS
Executive Producers JASON REITMAN, DANIEL DUBIECKI, THOMAS P. POLLOCK, RON HALPERN
*Associate Producers ALI BELL, ERIN CRESSIDA WILSON
Production Manager STEPHEN TRAYNOR
Director of Photography PAUL SAROSSY
Production Designer PHILLIP BARKER
Editor SUSAN SHIPTON
Music MYCHAEL DANNA
Costumes DEBRA HANSON
Casting JOANNA COLBERT (US)
RICHARD MENTO (US)
JOHN BUCHAN (Canada)
JASON KNIGHT (Canada)
First Assistant Director DANIEL J. MURPHY
Sound Recordist BISSA SCEKIC
Key Hair ETHELINE JOSEPH
Key Make-Up SUZANNE BENOIT
Hair Stylist: Julianne Moore ZINKA SHANKLAND
Hair Stylist: Amanda Seyfried RYAN REED
Make-Up: Julianne Moore SUSAN REILLY LAHANE
Make-Up: Amanda Seyfried DIANE MAZUR
Script Supervisor JILL CARTER
Property Master CRAIG GRANT
Gaffer BOB DAVIDSON
Key Grip CHRIS FAULKNER
Location Manager EARDLEY WILMOT
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

xosotin chelseathông tin chuyển nhượngcâu lạc bộ bóng đá arsenalbóng đá atalantabundesligacầu thủ haalandUEFAevertonxosokeonhacaiketquabongdalichthidau7m.newskqbdtysokeobongdabongdalufutebol ao vivofutemaxmulticanaisonbetbsport.fitonbet88.oooi9bet.bizhi88.ooookvip.atf8bet.atfb88.cashvn88.cashshbet.atbóng đá world cupbóng đá inter milantin juventusbenzemala ligaclb leicester cityMUman citymessi lionelsalahnapolineymarpsgronaldoserie atottenhamvalenciaAS ROMALeverkusenac milanmbappenapolinewcastleaston villaliverpoolfa cupreal madridpremier leagueAjaxbao bong da247EPLbarcelonabournemouthaff cupasean footballbên lề sân cỏbáo bóng đá mớibóng đá cúp thế giớitin bóng đá ViệtUEFAbáo bóng đá việt namHuyền thoại bóng đágiải ngoại hạng anhSeagametap chi bong da the gioitin bong da lutrận đấu hôm nayviệt nam bóng đátin nong bong daBóng đá nữthể thao 7m24h bóng đábóng đá hôm naythe thao ngoai hang anhtin nhanh bóng đáphòng thay đồ bóng đábóng đá phủikèo nhà cái onbetbóng đá lu 2thông tin phòng thay đồthe thao vuaapp đánh lô đềdudoanxosoxổ số giải đặc biệthôm nay xổ sốkèo đẹp hôm nayketquaxosokq xskqxsmnsoi cầu ba miềnsoi cau thong kesxkt hôm naythế giới xổ sốxổ số 24hxo.soxoso3mienxo so ba mienxoso dac bietxosodientoanxổ số dự đoánvé số chiều xổxoso ket quaxosokienthietxoso kq hôm nayxoso ktxổ số megaxổ số mới nhất hôm nayxoso truc tiepxoso ViệtSX3MIENxs dự đoánxs mien bac hom nayxs miên namxsmientrungxsmn thu 7con số may mắn hôm nayKQXS 3 miền Bắc Trung Nam Nhanhdự đoán xổ số 3 miềndò vé sốdu doan xo so hom nayket qua xo xoket qua xo so.vntrúng thưởng xo sokq xoso trực tiếpket qua xskqxs 247số miền nams0x0 mienbacxosobamien hôm naysố đẹp hôm naysố đẹp trực tuyếnnuôi số đẹpxo so hom quaxoso ketquaxstruc tiep hom nayxổ số kiến thiết trực tiếpxổ số kq hôm nayso xo kq trực tuyenkết quả xổ số miền bắc trực tiếpxo so miền namxổ số miền nam trực tiếptrực tiếp xổ số hôm nayket wa xsKQ XOSOxoso onlinexo so truc tiep hom nayxsttso mien bac trong ngàyKQXS3Msố so mien bacdu doan xo so onlinedu doan cau loxổ số kenokqxs vnKQXOSOKQXS hôm naytrực tiếp kết quả xổ số ba miềncap lo dep nhat hom naysoi cầu chuẩn hôm nayso ket qua xo soXem kết quả xổ số nhanh nhấtSX3MIENXSMB chủ nhậtKQXSMNkết quả mở giải trực tuyếnGiờ vàng chốt số OnlineĐánh Đề Con Gìdò số miền namdò vé số hôm nayso mo so debach thủ lô đẹp nhất hôm naycầu đề hôm naykết quả xổ số kiến thiết toàn quốccau dep 88xsmb rong bach kimket qua xs 2023dự đoán xổ số hàng ngàyBạch thủ đề miền BắcSoi Cầu MB thần tàisoi cau vip 247soi cầu tốtsoi cầu miễn phísoi cau mb vipxsmb hom nayxs vietlottxsmn hôm naycầu lô đẹpthống kê lô kép xổ số miền Bắcquay thử xsmnxổ số thần tàiQuay thử XSMTxổ số chiều nayxo so mien nam hom nayweb đánh lô đề trực tuyến uy tínKQXS hôm nayxsmb ngày hôm nayXSMT chủ nhậtxổ số Power 6/55KQXS A trúng roycao thủ chốt sốbảng xổ số đặc biệtsoi cầu 247 vipsoi cầu wap 666Soi cầu miễn phí 888 VIPSoi Cau Chuan MBđộc thủ desố miền bắcthần tài cho sốKết quả xổ số thần tàiXem trực tiếp xổ sốXIN SỐ THẦN TÀI THỔ ĐỊACầu lô số đẹplô đẹp vip 24hsoi cầu miễn phí 888xổ số kiến thiết chiều nayXSMN thứ 7 hàng tuầnKết quả Xổ số Hồ Chí Minhnhà cái xổ số Việt NamXổ Số Đại PhátXổ số mới nhất Hôm Nayso xo mb hom nayxxmb88quay thu mbXo so Minh ChinhXS Minh Ngọc trực tiếp hôm nayXSMN 88XSTDxs than taixổ số UY TIN NHẤTxs vietlott 88SOI CẦU SIÊU CHUẨNSoiCauVietlô đẹp hôm nay vipket qua so xo hom naykqxsmb 30 ngàydự đoán xổ số 3 miềnSoi cầu 3 càng chuẩn xácbạch thủ lônuoi lo chuanbắt lô chuẩn theo ngàykq xo-solô 3 càngnuôi lô đề siêu vipcầu Lô Xiên XSMBđề về bao nhiêuSoi cầu x3xổ số kiến thiết ngày hôm nayquay thử xsmttruc tiep kết quả sxmntrực tiếp miền bắckết quả xổ số chấm vnbảng xs đặc biệt năm 2023soi cau xsmbxổ số hà nội hôm naysxmtxsmt hôm nayxs truc tiep mbketqua xo so onlinekqxs onlinexo số hôm nayXS3MTin xs hôm nayxsmn thu2XSMN hom nayxổ số miền bắc trực tiếp hôm naySO XOxsmbsxmn hôm nay188betlink188 xo sosoi cầu vip 88lô tô việtsoi lô việtXS247xs ba miềnchốt lô đẹp nhất hôm naychốt số xsmbCHƠI LÔ TÔsoi cau mn hom naychốt lô chuẩndu doan sxmtdự đoán xổ số onlinerồng bạch kim chốt 3 càng miễn phí hôm naythống kê lô gan miền bắcdàn đề lôCầu Kèo Đặc Biệtchốt cầu may mắnkết quả xổ số miền bắc hômSoi cầu vàng 777thẻ bài onlinedu doan mn 888soi cầu miền nam vipsoi cầu mt vipdàn de hôm nay7 cao thủ chốt sốsoi cau mien phi 7777 cao thủ chốt số nức tiếng3 càng miền bắcrồng bạch kim 777dàn de bất bạion newsddxsmn188betw88w88789bettf88sin88suvipsunwintf88five8812betsv88vn88Top 10 nhà cái uy tínsky88iwinlucky88nhacaisin88oxbetm88vn88w88789betiwinf8betrio66rio66lucky88oxbetvn88188bet789betMay-88five88one88sin88bk88xbetoxbetMU88188BETSV88RIO66ONBET88188betM88M88SV88Jun-68Jun-88one88iwinv9betw388OXBETw388w388onbetonbetonbetonbet88onbet88onbet88onbet88onbetonbetonbetonbetqh88mu88Nhà cái uy tínpog79vp777vp777vipbetvipbetuk88uk88typhu88typhu88tk88tk88sm66sm66me88me888live8live8livesm66me88win798livesm66me88win79pog79pog79vp777vp777uk88uk88tk88tk88luck8luck8kingbet86kingbet86k188k188hr99hr99123b8xbetvnvipbetsv66zbettaisunwin-vntyphu88vn138vwinvwinvi68ee881xbetrio66zbetvn138i9betvipfi88clubcf68onbet88ee88typhu88onbetonbetkhuyenmai12bet-moblie12betmoblietaimienphi247vi68clupcf68clupvipbeti9betqh88onb123onbefsoi cầunổ hũbắn cáđá gàđá gàgame bàicasinosoi cầuxóc đĩagame bàigiải mã giấc mơbầu cuaslot gamecasinonổ hủdàn đềBắn cácasinodàn đềnổ hũtài xỉuslot gamecasinobắn cáđá gàgame bàithể thaogame bàisoi cầukqsssoi cầucờ tướngbắn cágame bàixóc đĩa开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育亚新体育亚新体育亚新体育爱游戏爱游戏爱游戏华体会华体会华体会IM体育IM体育沙巴体育沙巴体育PM体育PM体育AG尊龙AG尊龙AG尊龙AG百家乐AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人<AG真人<皇冠体育皇冠体育PG电子PG电子万博体育万博体育KOK体育KOK体育欧宝体育江南体育江南体育江南体育半岛体育半岛体育半岛体育凯发娱乐凯发娱乐杏彩体育杏彩体育杏彩体育FB体育PM真人PM真人<米乐娱乐米乐娱乐天博体育天博体育开元棋牌开元棋牌j9九游会j9九游会开云体育AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人爱游戏华体会华体会im体育kok体育开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育欧宝体育ob体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育开云体育开云体育棋牌棋牌沙巴体育买球平台新葡京娱乐开云体育mu88qh88