Solid

Rating: 8/10 (21 October 2001)

FROM HELL has a solid story, is visually exciting and is genuinely entertaining. Depp is good as the Inspector on the case. I was afraid it might be a retread of his SLEEPY HOLLOW character, but it wasn't.
All the acting was top rate, except for Heather Graham.
I don't know if this was a "studio" decision or the Hughes Bros. decision to cast Ms. Graham in this film, but whomever's decision it was, it was a mistake. Graham is gorgeous, which is a problem. She looked nothing like a 19th century, poor London whore. All the other prostitutes were fat, ugly and had brown teeth - except for Graham who was her gorgeous self with dyed red hair. I don't think they even had that color hair in London at that time. It sounds like I'm picking on her look too much, but it was incredibly distracting throughout the film and constantly "took me out of the film." Her performance was passable, but far from up to par with Depp, Holm & the rest. I am a big fan of Graham in films such as DRUGSTORE COWBOY & BOOGIE NIGHTS, but not here, not in this film.