Opened: Marrch 12, 1999

Directed by: Ulu Grosbard

Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Treat Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Jonathan Jackson, Ryan Merriman, Cory Buck, Michael McElroy, Alexa PenaVega, Michael McGrady, Brenda Strong, Tony Musante, Rose Gregorio, John Kapelos, Lucinda Jenney, John Roselius & Robert Cicchini

Combining a script that doesn’t hit as hard as it should and a stellar cast that elevates what’s on paper, The Deep End of the Ocean has great potential but misses the mark.

Beth Cappadora (Michelle Pfeiffer) loses sight of her three-year-old son Ben (Michael McElroy) and he goes missing. Emotionally distraught, Beth is surprised nine years later when Sam (Ryan Merriman) appears outside her door looking like an aged Ben.

Pfeiffer and Treat Williams (as Beth’s husband Pat) give multifaceted performances as the grieving parents, while Merriman and Jonathan Jackson (as older brother Vincent) show strength beyond their years tapping into their emotions.

Things happen too quickly in the multi-year script, which leads to missing emotions. The score by Elmer Bernstein tries to fill in for those emotions but feels misplaced instead.

Final say: Haunting but needing more depth. ★★★☆☆