31 reviews
I'm only on Episode 3, and so far it's pretty good - the writing and acting are certainly above average...
... but the DIRECTING/CINEMATOGRAPHY! Yikes!
The show has a surfeit of close-ups and extreme close-ups that are distracting in that their use both draws attention to itself and also robs the shots of any emotional power - like a TEXT MESSAGE IN ALL CAPS - they become meaningless after a while. I don't know if this was a stylistic or budgetary choice, but a lot of the intensity of some scenes was seriously curtailed by its overuse.
Show some restraint next time!
... but the DIRECTING/CINEMATOGRAPHY! Yikes!
The show has a surfeit of close-ups and extreme close-ups that are distracting in that their use both draws attention to itself and also robs the shots of any emotional power - like a TEXT MESSAGE IN ALL CAPS - they become meaningless after a while. I don't know if this was a stylistic or budgetary choice, but a lot of the intensity of some scenes was seriously curtailed by its overuse.
Show some restraint next time!
DS Tori Lustigman (Yael Stone) has returned to her hometown of Bondi to join the police for just in time to catch the brutal murder of a young man who happens to be gay. Her new boss is eager to put the murder down to the act of a spurned lover, but Tori believes the truth goes deeper, connecting it to a string of "gay bashings" stretching back to the 80s. The problem is that no one wants her to take it further, no matter what the evidence tells her. Her own partner wants the case puts to bed, but Tori is a force of nature in her own contained way. Too contained, perhaps. The anger and frustration she holds in is bound to come out in uncontrollable bursts.
Being new to the Bondi police force she hasn't had a chance to be intimidated by the criminal element and the power brokers who may have held an "unhealthy influence" over lawful enforcement over the years. Where no other officers have been able to solve what may in fact be a long series of murders, she may be the only one crazy enough to push forward through all obstacles thrown up in front of her and her reluctant partner.
Yael Stone is excellent as a detective just barely under control, a loving mother, daughter, friend, and grieving sibling. Daniel Spielman is chillingly repulsive as a Nazi-tattooed suspect. Viewers' sympathies have to go out to Noah Taylor as Tori's long- suffering partner Nick, resisting having her back at every turn. One of the most memorable members of the cast is one who gets perhaps the least screen time -- Otis Pavlovic conveys a sweetness and Tori's son with none of the resentment of the modern teenager, even when she appears to overreact to circumstances. The performance is natural and easy, with the connection between the mother and son feeling real. The cast is full of too many talented actors to continue to single them out, but there's nary a wooden boy or scene chewer in the bunch.
So, overall? In the current environment the matter is all too relevant, not a lesson in political correctness. Political profiling, police shootings, hate crimes, racism, and bigotry exploded in the news every day; this story could not be more timely. Put it all together and it made for fascinating watching. It pulled me in so much that I was disappointed to find that there were only four episodes and no word if this was a one- off, or if it would return.
Well, here's hoping.
Being new to the Bondi police force she hasn't had a chance to be intimidated by the criminal element and the power brokers who may have held an "unhealthy influence" over lawful enforcement over the years. Where no other officers have been able to solve what may in fact be a long series of murders, she may be the only one crazy enough to push forward through all obstacles thrown up in front of her and her reluctant partner.
Yael Stone is excellent as a detective just barely under control, a loving mother, daughter, friend, and grieving sibling. Daniel Spielman is chillingly repulsive as a Nazi-tattooed suspect. Viewers' sympathies have to go out to Noah Taylor as Tori's long- suffering partner Nick, resisting having her back at every turn. One of the most memorable members of the cast is one who gets perhaps the least screen time -- Otis Pavlovic conveys a sweetness and Tori's son with none of the resentment of the modern teenager, even when she appears to overreact to circumstances. The performance is natural and easy, with the connection between the mother and son feeling real. The cast is full of too many talented actors to continue to single them out, but there's nary a wooden boy or scene chewer in the bunch.
So, overall? In the current environment the matter is all too relevant, not a lesson in political correctness. Political profiling, police shootings, hate crimes, racism, and bigotry exploded in the news every day; this story could not be more timely. Put it all together and it made for fascinating watching. It pulled me in so much that I was disappointed to find that there were only four episodes and no word if this was a one- off, or if it would return.
Well, here's hoping.
This show was pretty good. The plot was complex enough. Some things to distract you. If you like mystery detective shows this one is pretty good. Based in Australia this adds to some interest. Just a different location. The stars are very good. They dig deep into some cultural problems of the past that ends up driving them to the end of the story. I found that part the most interesting.
- steven98664
- Jul 25, 2017
- Permalink
- dtdenver-987-925546
- May 15, 2019
- Permalink
It's Australia Day. Police detectives Tori Lustigman and Nick Manning are assigned the murder of Haris Rexhaj in his Bondi beach condo. He's a young gay Muslim. Tori suspects the homophobic neighbor but her superior directs them to the gay lover Rohan Assad. Rohan fears being deported to Iran. Further investigation uncovers a possible serial killer targeting homosexuals using a gay dating app. Tori is a single mom and new to the force from Goulburn. She is still haunted by a childhood incident with her gay brother.
This is a functional crime drama. There is a bit of ripped-from-the-headlines flavor. It does need a few more ingredients to extend this drama into a compelling 4 hour watch. Tori's childhood incident could have been heightened by doing a flashback. Her recollection of the incident is probably an emotional high point. The other part that needs expanding is the villain of the piece. It needs to make the supervisor a bigger character and more culpable. The story needs more drama and a bit more flavoring.
This is a functional crime drama. There is a bit of ripped-from-the-headlines flavor. It does need a few more ingredients to extend this drama into a compelling 4 hour watch. Tori's childhood incident could have been heightened by doing a flashback. Her recollection of the incident is probably an emotional high point. The other part that needs expanding is the villain of the piece. It needs to make the supervisor a bigger character and more culpable. The story needs more drama and a bit more flavoring.
- SnoopyStyle
- May 30, 2017
- Permalink
How is this diminutive detective (played by Yael Stone) supposed to run down bad guys in boots with 3 inch heels. Why couldn't the director just accept she's only 5 feet tall and let her wear sneakers? Is there some sort of cinematographic rule against letting short people be short? Ironic because the director seemingly has no problem repeatedly filming closeups of her dwarfish, stubby fingers.
It is natural that Australia, having lengthy (dependent) ties with the UK, aspires to imitate/repeat the latter's success in the field of crime thrillers, stocking it with local nature and habits, sometimes without having any influence to the course of events or effect on scenes. A lot of is also visible in Deep Water where tautness and smoothness are overshadowed by personal issues with references to the past and leisure activities on the beach.
Well, the beginning is intriguing, but the motives and many suspects are revealed too soon, the characters are somewhat arid, the police has seemingly no ranking order in place, and the background of the principal wrongdoer is too trivial and vague for the offences he committed. So the 4 episodes a' 50 minutes are too long and hectic; moreover, I was not pleased with the final events and events leading up to them. In the wide world of English-speaking crime drama series, Deep Water is hardly the one to be classified as "must-watch".
Well, the beginning is intriguing, but the motives and many suspects are revealed too soon, the characters are somewhat arid, the police has seemingly no ranking order in place, and the background of the principal wrongdoer is too trivial and vague for the offences he committed. So the 4 episodes a' 50 minutes are too long and hectic; moreover, I was not pleased with the final events and events leading up to them. In the wide world of English-speaking crime drama series, Deep Water is hardly the one to be classified as "must-watch".
- jitterbugranch-30-967293
- Nov 18, 2016
- Permalink
- macpet49-1
- Jul 4, 2017
- Permalink
A solidly okay series, the storyline was interesting if not a bit drawn out. The first two episodes introduced a lot of characters which made it hard to keep track of events. The last two episodes wrapped up nicely, but could have been shorter. Overall good cinematography and decent acting. Characters didn't have much depth.
- Calicodreamin
- Jan 3, 2021
- Permalink
- morrison-dylan-fan
- Jan 8, 2017
- Permalink
There wasn't much mystery to it, it didn't really have twists. The acting was decent but I would have liked a bit more character development/back story of the 2 main cops.
It wasn't bad, and for 4 episodes it was entertaining enough.
It wasn't bad, and for 4 episodes it was entertaining enough.
- gallagherkellie
- Feb 28, 2022
- Permalink
I caught this on Netflix, and watched it mostly because of some of the key cast members. It started out well, and the core story was engaging, but it (in my opinion) went sideways about half-way into the series, due to the ridiculously written police officer roles.
If you can look past a handful of police officers doing one stupid thing after another (especially the main character), then it's a pretty decent crime drama. If you find it problematic that the police do "really dumb things", which literally get people (unnecessarily) killed, as well as putting their whole investigation in jeopardy, and then seem to not learn any lessons from their repeated, boneheaded actions, then you probably need to skip it.
If you can look past a handful of police officers doing one stupid thing after another (especially the main character), then it's a pretty decent crime drama. If you find it problematic that the police do "really dumb things", which literally get people (unnecessarily) killed, as well as putting their whole investigation in jeopardy, and then seem to not learn any lessons from their repeated, boneheaded actions, then you probably need to skip it.
- RockyMtnVideo
- May 25, 2018
- Permalink
Deep Water is, for the most part, an engaging Australian crime/thriller series with a qualifier.....
In my opinion there's a discernible thread of rather brittle, well worn political correctness that would have best been discarded in favour of a more down to earth approach. The key character is buttoned up to a degree that undermines the simple, flawed humanity we all share. Instead she comes across as a poster boy (oops I mean girl) for the kind of saccharine, intolerant, tolerance, we have all been force fed by big government and its mainstream media stooges, over the last 20 or so years.
Her colleague, who seems infinitely more real as a person, is often a sounding board for her somewhat prickly "tut-tutting". Its a shame what, I feel, is a timid, almost apologetic, approach to scripting, has been adopted. Mainly because, in all other respects, Deep Water is a very engaging, intelligently written and well acted mini series.
In summary another decent Aussie series that has an important message about intolerance which, I believe, would have benefited from a more open and down to earth approach. Still a worthy watch. Eight out of ten from me.
In my opinion there's a discernible thread of rather brittle, well worn political correctness that would have best been discarded in favour of a more down to earth approach. The key character is buttoned up to a degree that undermines the simple, flawed humanity we all share. Instead she comes across as a poster boy (oops I mean girl) for the kind of saccharine, intolerant, tolerance, we have all been force fed by big government and its mainstream media stooges, over the last 20 or so years.
Her colleague, who seems infinitely more real as a person, is often a sounding board for her somewhat prickly "tut-tutting". Its a shame what, I feel, is a timid, almost apologetic, approach to scripting, has been adopted. Mainly because, in all other respects, Deep Water is a very engaging, intelligently written and well acted mini series.
In summary another decent Aussie series that has an important message about intolerance which, I believe, would have benefited from a more open and down to earth approach. Still a worthy watch. Eight out of ten from me.
Finally some cop who knows how to shoot in the hand, not kill the antagonist!! Good job here!
- andreidreglea
- Feb 10, 2019
- Permalink
Deep Water is redolent of 1960s Australian police procedurals such as Homicide or Cop Shop. The script is a rollcall of cliches: the upstart newbie, her job-weary senior detective, the obstructive old-school station chief, the migrant family all speaking in halting Pidgin English. None of the cast or the scriptwriters appears to have done any field research with real-life police. Poor direction, bad acting, and pedestrian cinematography. The treatment by police of homosexuals' deaths at Bondi's famous cliffs was a scandal for decades and deserves a better treatment than this to educate the present day.
- hedley-finger
- May 22, 2020
- Permalink
Yael Stone is either not a very good actress or miscast. She is not convincing or believable. The black leather jacket she wears looks silly and the high heel boots are ridiculous. She is chasing and fighting bad guys in boots she can barely walk in? The story is interesting and the show has some moments but it could have been much better.
- robbierobinson
- Dec 8, 2017
- Permalink
I suppose my title is as much a comment on me as the show. Only four episodes long, this series is confusing with multiple similar characters and intertwining subplots. Maybe this just an accurate reflection of true cop cases - many shades of gray and inferential evidence with few clearcut leads - but it doesn't make for good viewing. Maybe it's just my Pooh-brain too dithered to keep track of them all, but not for lack of experience.
- rgclosson-568-232001
- May 17, 2019
- Permalink
Take one stubborn, thick-headed, sermonising lady police detective who unnecessarily gets people killed and nearly-killed in the course of an investigation she should not be pursuing anyway because of an obvious personal conflict and add a director who seems oblivious to just how irritating the lead character is. You find yourself in Deep Water. The story becomes secondary to the psychopathy of the lead and the lack of principle of the supporting characters. Don't have anything to hand which you might throw at the screen.
- voltan-64423
- Aug 19, 2020
- Permalink
I took a look at this an Netflix because of the cast, but it just wasn't believable and didn't flow well. And the lead female detective was definitely miscast, particularly when you think someone who is about 29/ 30 is supposed to have a 16 y.o. son....
Australia can do better this and so can both the leads. The setting is pretty but the story is pedestrian and the acting is wooden.
- stevelomas-69401
- Jan 18, 2020
- Permalink
That sums it up perfectly. The lead female cop character is immensely stupid and/or annoying. As stated by another reviewer, she's a single mother that seems to attend to the child rarely (on 24/7 stakeouts, it seems ALONE). She does one daft thing after another and halfway through episode 2 I couldn't take any more. Noah Taylor should know better!
Not sure if it's just me (and I'm an Aussie) but it seemed like every character was trying for Super Aussie-fied. All boiled down to bloody annoying.
- jiballini64
- Dec 5, 2020
- Permalink
At times I thought this was a competent drama, but reflecting on the whole series now I feel it was somewhat less than that. The story was uneven, seemed to have too many characters, and none of the main players were convincing.
I felt cheated at the end. Not recommended.
I felt cheated at the end. Not recommended.
- grahamf-55542
- Mar 1, 2022
- Permalink