Strong performances overcome uneven direction.

Rating: 7/10 (16 April 2000)

Michael Mann's unfocused and tepid direction is not enough to kill this film, gladly, because Russell Crowe gives a strong performance and Pacino is at the very top of his game here. It's hard to single out any Pacino performance as being one of his best -- he's had so many -- but this one is certainly up there. Chris Plummer is also very good as Mike Wallace. But the movie is worth checking out for Pacino alone.