Fascinating characters study that falls short in a few places.

Rating: 7/10 (6 June 2007)

This is a tricky one. There's no denying that Whitaker gives a larger-than-life performance worthy of every accolade he has been given (though it's debatable if he is indeed the Lead Actor in the film.) The film is much more entertaining than I expected, given the subject matter. However, I'm not sure how successful the narrative fares as seen through the eyes of the fictional Scottish doctor (James McAvoy.) There's lots of comic relief that seemed out of place to me, and some subplots where I just couldn't suspend my disbelief. But overall, it's a good and thought-provoking movie with excellent performances all around (including Gillian Anderson and Kerry Washington in support roles.) On a sidenote, the camera seems to be in love with James McAvoy's body. I don't find him attractive, but it's good to see a film where the director isn't gender-biased in terms of showing nudity.