Surface-smart (with shallow results)

Rating: 5/10 (21 July 2006)

Michael Douglas plays steely-cold investment banker in San Francisco who gets a curious birthday gift from his ne'er-do-well brother: membership in a mysterious club which promises to enrich Douglas' existence. At first, the pranks are elaborate but silly, but eventually the icy businessman encounters blackmail, entrapment, attempts on his life, and finds himself quickly losing his cool. The film, stylish yet limited, only works if you accept Douglas' reactions--but I didn't believe it for a minute when he freaks out in a public place because his briefcase won't open. There are not so many 'errors' in the film as outright implausibilities, and Michael Douglas as an actor finds himself in quicksand, occasionally looking just as ridiculous as the plot. Director David Fincher is becoming rather predictable: once again, he gets the proceedings off to a sluggish start (with stilted introductions to his players) and doesn't follow through on promising ideas or with basic logic (as when Douglas finally calls the police about a break-in, yet the scene is left unresolved). The picture is frustrating, but not in the suspenseful sense. It should've been smarter. ** from ****