Deception, director Arnaud Desplechin’s adaptation of Phiip Ross’s 1990 novel of the same name, centers on the character of Philip (Denis Podalydès), a married writer in his fifties, who lives in London. Philip draws creative inspiration by entering into no-strings encounters with many women. His most recent liaison, however, with a British lover (Léa Seydoux), becomes complicated. The two begin to engage in casual conversations, and in between, stories of Philip′s past relationship and his wife emerge. The film veers recklessly between melodrama and satire, and creates a challenging narrative web for viewers to deconstruct. The film relentlessly interrogates Philip’s masculine privilege during the second half of an imaginary courtroom scene, during which time the director refuses to categorize him as all of the traits he has personified: Although he is an adept liar, a gifted writer, and an immoral man, the film refuses to pin him down in any of these roles. Deception premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2021. (LEE Juhyun)