Should have been great

Rating: Null/10 (15 December 1998)

First, the bad news: the ending is a cop-out, a great disappointment after what had been a hard-edged film; and too much time is spent on the Kim Basinger role. Everything else about the film I admired. The texture is the main thing, the noir feel, captured perfectly. As in the best noir films, there are menace and humour; characters grow and change, and you don't know whom to trust. The story and characters are satisfyingly complex, the film looks right, and the acting is out of this world. As an Aussie, I was justifiably proud of the very versatile Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe (we claim NZ-ers when it suits us), and James Cromwell and Kevin Spacey are excellent as usual. It should have been a great film, but with that ending it has to be regarded as nearly-great.