There's a lot to love in director/writer/producer Goddard's take on the noir mystery genre. When you take on all of those roles - the responsibility for delivering something good largely rests on your shoulders. At times, it feels like distinctly Tarantinoesque patische - but doesn't reach either his highs or, fortunately, his excesses either.He's assembled an ambitious cast who deliver some memorable perfomances - even when playing against type. Bridges is as wonderful as ever and suitably absent as a priest with dementia. But others are also credible and well-rounded characters, even with fairly slim back stories at times.
The setting is suitably lavish in period detail and conceit - as is the spin-worthy soundtrack.
The material and goodwill built up in the first two acts doesn't stretch to all of the way through the third and so justify the subsequent extended running time. Despite all of this, the exposition is occasionally a little thin - leaving the audience to plug gaps with their own imagination. I was happy to do this, but your mileage may vary. The intervention by one character even feels a little deus ex machina actually.
Verdict: Feels like it'll fall just a little short of being award-worthy (not least because of profile).
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