Good but whew, What a rip

Rating: Null/10 (27 September 2001)

This movie is interesting solely on the basis of the acting alone. Depp is intriguing as usual, and Franka Potente is remarkable in her English speaking debut. Yet that alone couldn't stop Ted Demme's highly unoriginal, hack-eyed directing job. Does he have to rip off Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anerson in every scene? Aside from relief aid from the great cinematographer Ellen Kuras (Summer of Sam) the way this movie was made is more stale than a soggy bag of 3 year old kettle chips. My suggestion, Demme gain his own imagination (like his great uncle Jonathan) or go back to making useless comedies starring South Compton gangsta rappers.