Deception

Set in London in 1987, this drama follows Philip, a famous American writer living in exile. Philip maintains a secret romantic relationship with an English woman who visits him regularly in his studio. Their time together is spent in intimacy and long discussions regarding literature, antisemitism, and past partners. While Philip is married, his wife eventually discovers a notebook containing detailed accounts of his affairs. Philip denies the authenticity of these writings, claiming the dialogues are merely fictional inventions.

The film was directed by Arnaud Desplechin, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Julie Peyr. In the chronology of his work, this production follows The Beloved and precedes Brother and Sister, Filmlovers!, and Two Pianos. The cast features Denis Podalydès as Philip and Léa Seydoux as his lover, with additional roles played by Emmanuelle Devos and Anouk Grinberg. Produced in France by companies including Why Not Productions and Canal+, the movie has a runtime of 105 minutes.

Audience reception has been lukewarm. On IMDb, the film holds a rating of 5.5/10 based on 2,000 votes, while on TMDB, it has a slightly lower score of 5.4/10 from 109 votes.