Deceived

Plot synopsis:
Adrienne Saunders (Hawn) is happily married to her art dealer husband, Jack (Heard). They have a daughter named Mary (Peldon). Adrienne hears from a friend that she thought she saw Jack in town when he claimed to be on an out of town business trip. Adrienne confronts him, but he denies being in town, and their lives continue. Soon after a museum curator is mysteriously murdered, and a relic that Jack bought for the museum is revealed to be a fake. Jack is placed under suspicion, and then Adrienne receives word from the police that Jack perished in a car accident. In trying to wrap up Jack's affairs, Adrienne begins to suspect that her husband had switched identities with a high school classmate, Frank Sullivan. When she sees a high school yearbook picture of her husband attributed to Sullivan, she is convinced.
She tracks down a relative of Saunders, who confirms that Frank and Jack were inseparable in high school. After Jack died, the relative never saw Frank again. She explained that Frank's father was an alcoholic and that his mother worked as a toll booth operator. She directs Adrienne to Frank's mother, who lives in a rundown apartment in Brooklyn. Frank's mother bitterly receives the news that she has a granddaughter, telling Adrienne that Frank was always selfish and that he never looked in on her.
A stalker lurks at Adrienne's loft. He comes in to Adrienne's bed while she is asleep and caresses her. He watches Mary, who is spooked by the man in her room at night. One day, as the housekeeper is finishing up her chores and leaving, she surprises the stalker who attacks her, leaving her almost dead in the bathroom and ransacking the apartment.
At work, Adrienne gets an urgent message from Mrs. Sullivan, and she rushes out to her apartment. When she gets there, the door is open, and Mrs. Sullivan is nowhere to be found. As Adrienne looks for her in the apartment, Jack appears. Adrienne slaps him and rages at his cruelty. Jack calms her down and tries to explain. He says that when Jack died, he was completely distraught and that he just sort of fell into his identity during the mourning process. He reveals that a man named Dan Sherman had discovered Jack's false identity and blackmailed him. Jack faked his death in order to escape, knowing that he would have to give up his life with Adrienne and Mary. He tells her that Sherman is insistent on having an Egyptian necklace which is in their apartment, and he asks Adrienne to look for it. As she leaves the apartment, Jack watches her from the window. Behind him, the body of his dead mother lies on the bed with a plastic bag over her head.
During her search for the necklace, Adrienne discovers a Parks Department photo ID. It bears her husband's picture and the name Dan Sherman. She tracks down an address and pays a surprise visit to the house. A pregnant Mrs. Sherman is on the phone and lets her in, thinking she is with the moving company. Adrienne looks around the house and sees wedding pictures of her husband with Mrs. Sherman. In a photo album, she sees a picture of Mary and confronts Mrs. Sherman about it. Mrs. Sherman says that it is a picture of her husband's dead sister, demanding to know who Adrienne is. The person on the phone is Jack/Dan, who asks her to give the phone to Adrienne.
He congratulates Adrienne on tracking down his new life, and he reveals that he has kidnapped Mary with no intent to harm her. Mary explained that she had traded the necklace with another girl, and Jack instructs Adrienne to retrieve it and meet him at 9:00 p.m. at their loft to exchange Mary for the necklace. At the loft, Adrienne asks to see Mary, and Jack explains that she is downstairs playing in the car. When Adrienne tries to go see her, Jack pins her against a wall and demands the necklace first. Adrienne stabs him and tries to flee. After a long chase throughout the construction in the rest of the building, Adrienne lures Jack into an elevator shaft, where he falls to his death. Later Adrienne and Mary pack up to move out of the loft and start a new life somewhere else.

Tags: intrigue, neo noir

Review:
In it, she plays a woman who meets a charming man (Heard) by chance and is soon married to him and enjoying a life of bliss and parenthood (to adorable imp Peldon) while dealing in ancient treasures and jewelry.
It hangs together pretty well for the longest time, then gets way out of hand and is all too typical of the thriller films of this era.
There also seems to be evidence of cuts (note the billing, but virtual absence of Straight and Robertson as Hawn's parents and the sudden disappearance of underused Bartlett from the story, though she is fourth billed.) On the plus side is a sumptuous and rich-looking production design and a haunting, exceptional music score from Thomas Newman.
Thriller starring Goldie Hawn and John Heard.
Adrienne and Jack meet, fall in love, marry, have a child, and live in a wonderful New York apartment.
Slowly, things start to unravel for Adrienne in "Deceived," a 1991 film starring Goldie Hawn and John Heard.This is a highly derivative movie concerning fake museum pieces, fake identity, and a double life, but it manages to be exciting and occasionally scary.
This could have been one of the great movies if the script had been tighter because it is very well directed and performed with some excellent camera work and great music.Despite script holes, I still found it entertaining.
Goldie Hawn has never been a favorite, I must admit, but that is all the more reason to catch her in the one performance where she is not quirky, superfluous or silly.The theme of this story has been done before, but thanks to a fine performance by John Heard, the character of Jack Saunders is intriguing and foreboding.
John Heard is an underrated actor who adds a somewhat mischievous, ominous and sometimes comical overtone to his roles (You may want to watch him in the earlier 1970's film "Chilly Scenes of Winter", and there was also a film short wherein he portrayed Fortunato, in Edgar Allen Poe's "Cask of Amontillado".
He was excellent).Look for Ashley Peldon as the young daughter; Robin Bartlett, who is underused as Heard's estranged mother, and Tom Irwin, as Hawn's colleague from the art museum.
Dark, somber thriller about an art restorer Adrienne (Goldie Hawn) meeting Jack Saunders (John Heard) and falling in love.
Goldie Hawn dropped her bubbly personality to play the serious role of Adrienne, who is happily married, living in an upscale apartment, and has a lovely little girl.
I cannot describe details of the movie without giving away too much for the first-time viewer; it is one of those movies that after you see it once, you cannot watch it again for awhile because you know all twists and turns in the script.
Robin Bartlett, best known for her turn in tv's "Mad About You" only has a few lines, just like in "City of Angels" and as usual, Robin's performance stays with you after the film has ended.
I will say this, Goldie Hawn and John Heard did offer up good performances as the leads.
Oh and one more thing, I did enjoy the actress that played Goldie and John's daughter Mary in the film, I thought she did a great job playing her role..
Goldie Hawn is very good in this film and the direction is solid.
Goldie Hawn and John Herd aspire to make this a Thrilling Thriller but are Deceived by a Script that Promises much more than it Delivers in Terms of Storytelling or Cinematic Surprises.
Truth is the Story is Unbelievable and Unconvincing with its Contrivances Sabotaging Logic and it "Twists" so Telegraphed that the Result is a Resounding Thud.It's a Watchable Movie with just Enough Professionalism to Propel it to its Standard Chase Ending that in the Warehouse (Yikes) goes on for ever.
Hawn is up for Her Dramatic Turn and Herd is Creepy even when He isn't Playing a Certified Creep, so that Helps.The Cute as Pie Daughter may have too much Screen Time that gets in the way of the Rhythm, but is Well Cast and She does some Fine Acting of Her Own. She is the Driving Pathos of the Narrative but it is Heavy Handed.
Concerned that her husband might be having an affair, a middle aged woman begins to investigate his suspicious recent behaviour, only to discover a greater conspiracy than she could have ever imagined in this slick thriller starring Goldie Hawn and John Heard.
The film is well known as Hawn's first non-comedy movie, though Heard is arguably more impressive, always seeming just a little bit menacing, even if he goes way over-the-top in his final few scenes.
The film also overplays its hand a little by including a second unexpected deception by her husband late in the piece that only raises unanswered questions about his true motives and the way his mind operates.
New York art restorer Goldie Hawn (as Adrienne) is seemingly stood-up on a blind date.
This works out well, however, because Ms. Hawn eventually hooks up with likewise attractive museum curator John Heard (as Jack Saunders).
Damian Harris keeps you alert.****** Deceived (9/27/91) Damian Harris ~ Goldie Hawn, John Heard, Ashley Peldon, Robin Bartlett.
It stars Goldie Hawn & John Heard with music by Thomas Newman and Cinematography from Jack N.
Plot sees Hawn as a New York art restorer who finds her world is not as it seems after the unexpected death of her husband (Heard).Effective "straight" acting from Hawn in a so so thriller that promises more than it delivers.
We can accept implausibilities, some of which are just stupid here, if the story takes us in an unexpected direction, sadly Deceived reverts to type right down to the cat & mouser chase finale that closes with complete absurdity.As "Sleeping With The Enemy" proved (released the same year as Deceived), there is, and always will be, a market for well budgeted thrillers.
Thus as Hawn goes about unravelling the mystery that's come about after the can of worms is opened, the shock value is mostly tepid.Great scoring from Newman and atmospheric photography from Green help to create the illusion this is a better film than it actually is.
Adrienne, Goldie Hawn, an antique dealer meets by chance Jack Saunders, John Heard, at a restaurant thinking that he's Adam Lucus the parson she was supposed to meet there.
The second half of the movie "Decived" goes a bit too off course with Jack' life revealed to Adrienne by her finding out that he had a number of different identities as well as wives over the last fifteen years.
that sets up the films heart-dropping final sequence.A surprisingly good Goldie Hawn makes the film "Decived" work with her far better then one would expect serious acting being that Goldie was almost always in comedy films up until she made that movie.
John Heard as the insane but charming Jack Saunders/Sullivan/Sherman, Triple "S" for short, is also good in his role as a human salamander.
You will get some excitement out of this movie, once you stop expecting Goldie Hawn to be funny.
It's a very standard thriller by the numbers, that basically doesn't feature anything new or surprising and is one that is like hundred of other genres movies, especially like those made around the same time period.The movie is not just bad because it's so formulaic, it perhaps is even more due to the fact that the story is just so predictable.
The movie also made me think like; 'Why didn't the Goldie Hawn character just called, or had gone to the police'.
Seriously, there were several occasions in the movie that she could had easily convinced the police of her findings but instead she puts herself and her little daughter needlessly in danger.It's not like this movie is completely horrible or anything but for a genre piece it isn't anything special enough.
The movie feels much shorter than it in fact truly is.And yes, Goldie Hawn is a good actress but to she seemed out of place in this movie.
The movie would had also been better of if they didn't cast John Heard.
Besides, John Heard is a sort of actor that often seems to play the same type of roles in movies and also his looks never seem to change, not even now when he's getting older.Perhaps only watchable once but even then it's a forgettable one.5/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/.
It started out real slow but when Goldie's character started being suspicious of her husband the story got real interesting, I couldn't take my eyes off the t.v. The last part when she outsmarts her attacker was the best part (I thought).
Goldie Hawn, toning down her upbeat persona, is curiously thoughtful and tense playing a woman whose husband has just died in a mysterious car accident; little by little she discovers he wasn't who he seemed to be.
And Goldie Hawn, not known for film roles like this, gives a respectable performance.
Goldie Hawn and John Heard give truly engaging performances and there is more suspense than you might expect from this cast and a thumbnail description of the plot.
The production is grand and intimate at the same time, the professions of the main characters are interesting, and the glimpse of this type of a family life in New York City is somewhat rare in movies.
This most unimaginatively titled movie could have been an above average thriller if the plot had been a little more plausible, and it had been about a reel shorter.
Goldie Hawn is always good to watch, though there were a couple of scenes where she should have been given more to say; and John Heard would have been believable as the devoted husband and father who turns out to be leading a double life, if he hadn't left incriminating evidence all over the place.
The stage curtains open ...Even though this movie is not generally considered as such, I felt "Deceived" was one of Goldie Hawn's better performances.
The film starts out with Adrienne (Hawn) being stood up on a blind date, and while in the restaurant, she mistakes Jack Saunders (John Heard) for her missing date.
Cut to some years later, and they are married with a little girl of their own now, head over heels in love with each other and happy and satisfied in their life together.However, when a co-worker of Jack's is murdered and found in the museum where he is employed, doubts begin to surface and suspicions begin to build.
And like I mentioned before, Goldie Hawn was up to the task providing a convincing performance and carried the film well.
This has grown into a personal favorite of mine over the years, I have seen it many times and would certainly recommend it for the thriller/suspense film enthusiast..
John Heard is the supposedly deceased husband of Goldie Hawn.
"Deceived" is not a bad movie, but it really isn't something I would recommend, unless you are a big fan of either John Heard or Goldie Hawn.
Good performances by Goldie Hawn (In a rare non-comic role) and John Heard.
The 1991 thriller 'Deceived", led by Academy award winner Goldie Hawn is defiantly an experiment for her.(From comedy's to a more dramatic role.) It starts fairly normal, and then just turns absurd and crazy in the final act, with some mixed results overall.It starts rather promisingly with a woman named Adrienne Saunders(Goldie Hawn), who enters a seemingly happy marriage & has a kid with a guy named Jack Saunders(John Heard).
It is competently shot by Harris, & there are some well executed scenes, especially in the first half of the film.Goldie Hawn is fine, but not mind blowing as the straight person trying to unravel the web of lies surrounding her love.
Goldie Hawn Is Superb, Heard Is Not..
Plot In A Paragraph: Adrienne (Goldie Hawn) and Jack Saunders (John Heard) have a perfect marriage, but Adrienne begins to suspect Jack of an affair when he is spotted in New York when he is supposed to be out if town.
I'm starting to think they only build those places so psychotic killers can fall to their deaths from there, with an evil leer on their faces...Well, at least Goldie's getting older now, so she won't be able to make too many more terrible movies...
Goldie Hawn was great.
I was in the mood to watch an exciting who-done-it, so I picked this old Goldie Hawn flick, 'Deceived'.
I understand that these movies are fiction and there has to be danger involved for the main character, but it still is not at all believable.I won't delve into the plot and give anything away, but I will quote two lines at the film's conclusion between the main character and the 'bad guy' to show the caliber of the story.'Are you going to kill me too?''I am going to kiss you.
A Decent Thriller, Although Not Hard To Figure Out. This is a pretty scary movie in parts with some good camera-work.
Both lead actors, Goldie Hawn and John Heard (now there's an odd couple!) give credible performances.
Hawn is the innocent wife and Heard the deranged killer who uses several identities.Unfortunately, guessing some of the identities - - particularly the third - isn't that hard and it can lessen some of the suspense for the viewer near the end.
Yes. But sometimes that's not a bad thing.Solidly acted thriller with a much more serious Goldie Hawn than usual.
However even though the main couple's home is very swank they apparently live in the most slowly renovated building in the world.Lead by Goldie all the performers give strong performances although, excepting John Heard, most of the roles are quite secondary.
A nice showcase for Goldie Hawn, who get a chance to uses pieces of her talent not always in evidence..
The immediate reaction to watching this stylish psychological thriller is to question why Goldie Hawn didn't feature in more movies of this type.
At various points in the story, she shows fear, determination and horror as she gradually recognises the full extent of her husband's treachery and in so doing, highlights aspects of her talent that were never able to be shown in her numerous comedy roles.Goldie Hawn isn't the only reason for watching this movie, however, as it's also well-directed visually strong and frequently suspenseful.Adrienne (Goldie Hawn) is a successful art restorer who meets museum curator Jack Saunders (John Heard) at her workplace.
Some time later, through some information that she's given by her social security office, it comes to light that Jack had been using a false identity for many years and so Adrienne decides to carry out her own investigation to discover the truth about the man she knew as Jack.
This puts her and her five-year-old daughter in great danger as she gradually uncovers the staggering scale of her husband's duplicity.John Heard does well as the very conventional and respectable-looking Jack and conveys his character's combination of superficial charm and coldness very effectively.
Hawn is excellent, movie is so-so.
Goldie plays Adrienne Saunders, a happily married restorationist with a young daughter.
Jack then suddenly dies, and Adrienne comes to find out that her seemingly dead husband was not who he said he was.There are numerous plot holes in the movie, but Hawn works very well with what she has, and shows that she can more than handle serious drama.
This movie is a mystery with plenty of twists, but the real star is Goldie Hawn's performance.
All in all, it was fun to watch and it does jump your heart a few times, just as a good thriller should.
Rare straight role for Goldie Hawn--no yucking it up here--is a totally serious part, a departure from the rest of her oeuvre.
John Heard is mainly involved in the ending with Hawn doing a lot of the heavy dramatic lifting.
This part for Hawn features a rather aching, somber, and frustrated character; learning that your loving husband is a totally completely person, her Adrienne having to come to terms with some harsh realities, the role requires a certain type of disturbed, unsettled, and saddened temperament/response to the developments that transpire during her investigation.
The loud sound effects and noisy, obtrusive score, especially at the end when Heard is after Goldie and the necklace, can be a bit overbearing, but I like this change of pace for Hawn, trying a different genre (although, Foul Play was kind of comic thriller), and not relying on her gifted comedy skills must have been a challenge worth taking.
The plotting is banal, the usual "husband is not who he pretends to be, and *possible spoiler* fakes his own death to escape being caught".But the concept has rarely been executed better, and Goldie Hawn is simply outstanding here, with a truly fine supporting cast.
Possibly the best scene in this movie was when she *possible spoiler* confronted her husband's pregnant new "wife".
Single Manhattan art restorer Adrienne (Hawn) is stood up on a blind date in a restaurant but sees Jack Saunders - a charming man at another table.
I say "if you like thrillers where you can tell who the bad guy is just by looking at the title and the cast, you'll love "Deceived"".
John Heard gives a solid and creepy performance as the duplicitous husband, but there is no transformation - he's creepy right from the start.
It isn't so bothersome that Goldie Hawn's husband is double-crossing her.
It's that he's triple-crossing her.Hawn and Heard are evidently a happily married couple with two kids.
"Deceived" boasts fine performances, great music and good direction, but asks its far-fetched script asks WAY too much of the audience.
Yet, when he "perishes" in a fiery car crash, the police don't insist on an autopsy.END OF SPOILER This being said, "Deceived" is a suspenseful, engrossing movie.
Unfortunately, audiences found it difficult to accept Goldie Hawn in such a serious role.