Running time: 107 minutes
Starring: Meg Ryan, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kevin Bacon, Nick Damici
Rating 6 out of 10
Most of the publicity surrounding the premiere of Jane Campion's new thriller at the Toronto Film Festival focused its explicit nudity. More to the point, Meg Ryan's nudity. So let's get that out of the way first: yes, this is Meg Ryan like you've never seen her before (unless you watch The Doors again very closely). She couldn't be further from her bubblegum roles as America's sweetheart over the last fifteen years. But was the need to be freed of her clothes worth it?
The answer is yes, and no. Certainly Ryan's turn is what makes the film tick. She plays Frannie Avery, a bookish single New Yorker who drifts through a very lonely life with only her work and her relationship with her sister (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to keep her going. That is until she witnesses something that may be a vital clue to a murder on her block.
Enter Detective Malloy (Mark Ruffalo), an upfront cop trying to get to the truth and into Frannie's pants. He tells her so on their first meeting and his stark honesty as well as his broody looks mean that sure enough he is soon flouting any cop/witness relationship and spending more time investigating her bed. But as the murders begin to pile up, suspicions fall on everyone in Frannie's circle.
Ryan is unrecognisable. Gone are the blonde curls and stylish clothes to be replaced by a downbeat straight brown-haired look. In fact, if she resembles anyone it's the film's original star, Nicole Kidman, who retains a producing credit on the film. She gives Frannie a remarkably desaturated look and feel, and its clear that this character is going nowhere while trapped by the big city.
Ruffalo also rises to the challenge of the leading man with aplomb. A rising star since he broke on to the scene as the troubled brother in You Can Count on Me, his looks and delivery are Brando-esque, but he tackles this most ambiguous character with some conviction.
The film has a noirish look and is reminiscent of both Klute and Taxi Driver, two films cited by Campion as influences on the work. Cinematographer Dion Beebe gives the film an edgy look, while Campion playfully inserts enough red herring to keep potboiler fans guessing.
The film is based on Susanna Moore's 1995 best seller, and if you have read that be warned that the ending has been changed. This is one of the film's problems, in that just before the final reel Campion is at pains to suggest that everyone involved could be the killer. The other main problem is that her love of character tends to dominate: even the dialogue for the sex scenes becomes over-written.
Paul Hurley
The answer is yes, and no. Certainly Ryan's turn is what makes the film tick. She plays Frannie Avery, a bookish single New Yorker who drifts through a very lonely life with only her work and her relationship with her sister (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to keep her going. That is until she witnesses something that may be a vital clue to a murder on her block.
Enter Detective Malloy (Mark Ruffalo), an upfront cop trying to get to the truth and into Frannie's pants. He tells her so on their first meeting and his stark honesty as well as his broody looks mean that sure enough he is soon flouting any cop/witness relationship and spending more time investigating her bed. But as the murders begin to pile up, suspicions fall on everyone in Frannie's circle.
Ryan is unrecognisable. Gone are the blonde curls and stylish clothes to be replaced by a downbeat straight brown-haired look. In fact, if she resembles anyone it's the film's original star, Nicole Kidman, who retains a producing credit on the film. She gives Frannie a remarkably desaturated look and feel, and its clear that this character is going nowhere while trapped by the big city.
Ruffalo also rises to the challenge of the leading man with aplomb. A rising star since he broke on to the scene as the troubled brother in You Can Count on Me, his looks and delivery are Brando-esque, but he tackles this most ambiguous character with some conviction.
The film has a noirish look and is reminiscent of both Klute and Taxi Driver, two films cited by Campion as influences on the work. Cinematographer Dion Beebe gives the film an edgy look, while Campion playfully inserts enough red herring to keep potboiler fans guessing.
The film is based on Susanna Moore's 1995 best seller, and if you have read that be warned that the ending has been changed. This is one of the film's problems, in that just before the final reel Campion is at pains to suggest that everyone involved could be the killer. The other main problem is that her love of character tends to dominate: even the dialogue for the sex scenes becomes over-written.
Paul Hurley
