Cast and Crew
Director: George Saunders
Writers: George Saunders, James A. Bresio
Producers: David Avallone, James A. Breslo, Ross Hammer, Jeffrey J. Manuel, Denise McCabe Morrissey, George Saunders
Composer: Nicholas Rivera
Cinematographer: Mark Ludwig
Editor: David Avallone
George Saunders: Charlie
Nicole Gian: Jennifer
Lisa Boyle: Tina
Dan Frank: John
Art Cohan: Bob
Roberta Bradley: Lindsey
Kenneth McCabe: Detective Boswell
Lauren Stewart: Detective Anthony
The Midnight Take
The first thing to notice about Intimate Deception (1997) is the director, writer, producer, and male lead are all the same person. I’m not sure if it’s appropriate anymore to say this, but you’d think he’d have given himself some more intense sex scenes, especially with Lisa Boyle in the cast.
Instead, he took it as a chance to recite poetry and use the film as a tax write-off for his tango lessons. This Charlie Chaplin of softcore stretched further than many when it came to an actual story. It just takes a long time to develop, about 30 minutes. And by then, you’ve already spent more screen time listening to poetry than looking at boobs. And did I mention Lisa Boyle is in the film?
Let’s see: there’s betrayal, blackmail, post traumatic amnesia, cheating, shootings, and a few plot twists. Jennifer (Nicole Gian) is married to the Saunders’ character, Charlie (George Saunders). They have a standard relationship for these types of films, precarious. Regardless of how tenuous, they decide it’s a good idea to let Tina (Lisa Boyle) move in as a model for Charlie. She poses nude for him, and we all benefit.
This is an equal opportunity film. Not only does the husband have an affair, but a mysterious and gregarious John (Dan Fran) conveniently moves in next door. Affairs and casual sex ensue. Jealousy happens. And it all ends in tragedy.
Although this film is generous to Lisa Boyle fans, it’s kind of like a “strip club” in one of those counties that doesn’t allow topless. You get a lot of pasties. You get lingerie. But mostly you just get frustrated, because you know the good stuff is there, but you don’t get to see it.
Watchability: 🎷🎷🎷🎷 (4/10) • Any movie with Lisa Boyle is worth watching at least once. This one is no exception, though at times it feels like a wasted opportunity.
Sex scenes: 🎷🎷🎷🎷🎷 (5/10) • A decent number of sex scenes, unfortunately a lot of them are brief on the nudity and just heavy on the moan and groan.
Sex and/or significant nudity breakdown:
- Charlie and Jennifer have sex. Very little nudity. Not much here.
- Tina models nude. In fact she models throughout the film. Each time there’s at least a few seconds of Boyle boobs.
- Jennifer tries to seduce Charlie. Some implied fingering. Not much here.
- Garden sex with Tina and John. Jennifer covertly watches. This is the sex scene worthy of the softcore label. It occurs at about 33 minutes in. Plenty of boobs, licking, and pelvic pulsing.
- Jennifer masturbates in the tub. Montage of boobs.
- Jennifer and John have pool sex.
- Confessional sex between Charlie and Tina in the studio. Not much nudity. A lot of panting and petting with flashbacks of murder.
- John and Tina in the bedroom. Again, not much to see here.
- Quick Jennifer and Charlie in the bedroom. And redundantly, not much to see.
Trope Checklist:
- Listening to sex through the door
- Disinterested husband
- Voyeurism
- Workaholic husband
- Blackmail
