Predictable and dull candy-wrapped drama

Rating: 2/10 (13 October 2009)

The look is great, the documentary technique interesting, raw and promising, Rourke, in full king-new-clothes mode remains the bad actor he always was playing a character almost as shallow as he makes him look. The story is so predictable that before reaching half time anyone would be able to guess, in all detail, what is to come next. Marisa Tomei is wonderful in a low key, beautifully portrayed (but ultimately not credible) role, but the general dullness and predictability is not compensated by any character studies, narrative style, in-depth felt drama or even passably good fight scenes. An empty shell of a movie if ever there was one.