A psychological, not an action, thriller.

Rating: 9/10 (3 May 2015)

Really nicely done but maybe much too light on action for a lot of modern audiences.
They must have poured a fortune into the sets, the period cars, etc. and every penny showed--it was simply luscious. As far as the story, I can't remember if I ever read the book, and while I saw the earlier adaptations, I can't remember them well enough to compare and contrast this version with those older ones.
In any event, I feel that this production can definitely stand on its own, and I like movies that take their time and aren't just "wham, bam, thank you ma'am," so the languid pace was just fine with me. Be forewarned though, that this is mostly a psychological talking movie with only occasional little spurts of action.
I don't know or can't recall the original source material, but I strongly suspect that the minor homosexual side stories were added to make the movie seem more contemporary and up-to-date, and I'm not sure if I really care. I guess this modern twist didn't hurt, but it didn't really seem to add anything either.
So, overall, a slow but worthwhile and pleasant ride, something that is hard to find in modern cinema.