Three Corners of Deception (2022) Film Review
Three Corners of Deception, Meleeka Clary’s personal journey adapted to film, begins with a seriously important part of a discourse we need to address in a grounded way: justice needs more people. The system is constantly being accused of being unfair and rotten, and in order to start fixing it, the human element is essential. It’s a direct statement from Clary’s film, one that dramatizes her situation, but is inherently poised to denounce the corruption of a game with players that are always at a disadvantage when compared to others.
Clary decides to go fully autobiographical with her film. She even stars in it. For someone debuting in so many chairs of a film production, it could be a challenge. Clary makes it look easy with a natural charm and dedication that’s essential to buy into the film’s long introduction. Once the film gets in tune with Clary’s final objective, you will feel the presence of a story that’s necessary to see, listen and live.
The film starts when Meleeka decides to go to Vegas with her friends. On a club she meets a charming man called Melvin. This is the beginning of their relationship. One that goes from dreamy to standard in a relatively short time. But Meleeka always falls under the spell of Melvin and ends up marrying him and forming a family.
But a few signs aren’t enough for Meleeka to respond quickly. It’s hard to believe he can be something other than an ideal man. But she will see it, and unfortunately, it will be too late. Meleeka falls into a custody battle that’s as horrific as you can imagine.
A clever method used by Meleeka in her adaptation is putting several faces on the spotlight when showing Melvin and his true sides. Her situation has become universal for women and this works when identifying not necessarily a character but how a characterization works. Melvin is Suave Melvin, Deceptive Melvin and more. In every scene, she brings out the one that applies. If you think it’s hard to believe this is the same man, then you’re probably not familiar with Clary’s situation. These things happen. There are people like this. This is an example of facts that are maybe kept hidden for the sake of tradition and culture.
Staying true to her style, Clary injects authenticity in some sequences by forcing realism. It works sometimes, but it doesn’t connect well with the whole of the film. It’s clear the director is pushing for information to be included in the film. But perhaps sometimes less is more. The second act in Three Corners of Deception runs short and that’s good. And then the third act turns the film into something else entirely. A legal drama that gets rid of authenticity and dramatizes Meleeka’s story to the bone. Sure, it also works, but it doesn’t integrate with the rest of the film so naturally.
There’s a long way to go with Meleeka after Three Corners of Deception. She’s a capable performer, but leaving the archetype will be hard for her. When her character is submitted to terror, her reaction is natural and effective. But a script doesn’t help her much in portraying an organic stream that allows the viewer to believe in her descent. Ultimately, the film’s long cut is enough to make us fully digest the trauma of her story. I just think it could have been done a lot better with an edited film.
Meleeka Clary is not afraid of the risk or the consequences of shooting the film her way. After all, it’s the only way Three Corners of Deception can exist. But at least she doesn’t change her agenda. Ever. She stays true to herself. Her character is severely flawed at some point and she doesn’t claim to be mistaken about it. She knows she didn’t act perfectly, and she doesn’t conveniently change the facts. Sometimes, that’s how authenticity works.
