Chloe

Undoubtedly Atom Egoyan’s most accessible endeavor to date, Chloe follows a successful Toronto doctor (Julianne Moore’s Catherine) as she comes to suspect that her husband (Liam Neeson’s David) is having an affair – which inevitably leads her to hire a prostitute (Amanda Seyfried’s Chloe) to test David’s fidelity. There’s little doubt that Chloe initially doesn’t fare quite as well as one might’ve hoped, as the film moves at precisely the sort of glacial pace that Egoyan has become known for – with the lack of emotional resonance among the various characters essentially perpetuating the cold, almost clinical atmosphere. This is despite expectedly fine work from the three stars; Moore and Neeson’s superb efforts are easily matched by Seyfried’s eye-opening turn as the title figure, with the younger actress’ effortlessly successful attempts at holding her own opposite her powerhouse costars cementing her place as a promising up-and-comer. It’s not until Egoyan begins to emphasize elements of an unapologetically salacious nature that Chloe becomes more than just an actors showcase, as the progressively over-the-top twists and revelations, trashy as they may be, prove effective at infusing the otherwise stately proceedings with instances of palpable intensity. By the time it threatens to morph into The Prostitute that Rocked the Cradle, Chloe has effectively established itself as an appealingly (and irresistibly) over-the-top thriller that’s entertaining in ways that Egoyan probably didn’t plan for.

*** out of ****