Marlowe

Not a terrible film. But pretty disappointing.

Noir has a particular mood. This movie had moments, but the female casting and some of the dialogue left the story wanting. Liam Neeson did a decent job. He carried the film. Diane Kruger did not suit the part, though she’s a good actress. Alan Cumming, was surprisingly not a good choice either, and then he lost his accent mid-role. It was odd. Seana Kerslake was the only one who held her own with Neeson. She had the tempo and temperament of the scene correct for a noir film. Their scene captured the essence of noir, like in LA Confidential and Raymond Chandler’s Marlowe with Bogart and Robert Montgomery. I wish the film writers and director had chosen more gripping dialogue and story development. The raw material for an outstanding movie but an insufficient recipe for cinema magic leaves this a three-star film for me. It seems they also threw in token characters that were unnecessary.

Wonderful cast yet fell short.