AKA
AKAhas been favorably compared toThe Talented Mr. Ripley, and for good reason. A fascinating drama about a young, working-class man's fraudulent claim to aristocracy and subsequent rise among the rich and privileged,AKAhas a touch of the thriller about it. Matthew Leitch plays 18-year-old Dean, a handsome, beleaguered fellow abused in every conceivable way by a monstrous father and thwarted in his desire for higher education and a lucrative career. Sheltered and polished by a high-society arts matron, Lady Gryffon (Diana Quick), Dean eventually lands on his feet in Paris, gaining entrance to elite circles by pretending to be Lady Gryffon's son and getting caught between the desire of two men. The smart script by writer-director Duncan Roy plays on the paradox of an ambiguous hero whose attractiveness to the rich and jaded is his emotional authenticity and natural frankness. Leitch's performance is mesmerizing, both cryptic and eerily honest.--Tom Keogh