A passable story ruined by miscasting

Rating: 1/10 (8 February 2006)

Rhys-Meyers is talentless. I have never seen such a wooden performance in my life. It's not often that Allen makes such a disastrous mistake. Hopefully we will not have to endure this actor again. Even the usually captivating Johansson is left drifting in this movie as she tries to act against a wooden plank. The story is passable, and the movie is somewhat redeemed by the twist and turns at the end and great performances from James Nesbitt and Ewan Bremner in the last 10 minutes of the movie. However the otherwise strong British cast is inexplicably under utilised. Great character actors such as John Fortune, Rupert Penry Jones and Penelope Wilton are reduced to bit parts with no redeeming dialogue. I am disappointed to say this about a movie by the Master, but my heartfelt advice would be to avoid this movie at all costs. 1/5