D: Jane Campion
Pathé (Laurie Parker & Nicole
Kidman)
US/Australia 2003
119 mins
Thriller
W: Jane Campion & Susanna Moore [based on the
novel by Susanna Moore]
DP: Dion Beebe
Ed: Alexandre de Francheschi
Mus: Hilmar Orn Hilmarsson
Meg Ryan (Frannie Avery), Mark Ruffalo (Det. Giovanni
Malloy), Jennifer Jason Leigh (Pauline), Nick Damici (Det. Richard Rodriguez)
Meg Ryan's first film after becoming "cosmetically
enhanced" is a rather convuluted, sometimes pretentious attempt at a feminist spin on a serial killer film.
The performances are generally decent and the
cinematography is outstanding, taking on a modern film noir style and there's some red-hot erotic scenes which brought about a lot of controversy at the time of release (including an
incredibly graphic scene where fellatio is being performed), but the final result isn't particularly remarkable or especially memorable. Still, it's worth a one-off viewing.
6/10