It's a dud.
Adapted from the authorized 2014 novel The Black-Eyed Blonde by John Banville, which continues the story of Raymond Chandler’s private detective Philip Marlowe, Marlowe has everything that would make a neo-noir thrilling and compelling, but it drops the ball. Directed by Neil Jordan from a screenplay by William Monahan, this updated version of the titular character, played here with weariness by Liam Neeson, is flat and, perhaps most appalling of all, dull.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY Set in Bay City 1939, the film opens with Marlowe being visited by Clare Cavendish , an heiress in search of her missing lover, Nico Peterson , a props master at a film studio. Nico disappeared two months prior and a few questions around town lead Marlowe to believe he’s dead. But he can’t be, Clare tells him, because she swears she saw Nico when she was visiting Mexico.
The film tries its hardest to look and sound like a neo-noir, but there’s a lack of passion, a hollowness to the proceedings that infiltrates every scene and character exchange. The cinematography, which attempts to give Marlowe an old-school sensibility, is washed out and leaves much to be desired. The costumes, though lovely, are a reminder of what the film’s parroting. It doesn’t add anything new or of substance.
Even the cast seems checked out, giving largely wooden performances. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Cedric, however, really steals the show, and he’s a highlight despite only being in the movie for a short time. Cumming chews up scenery, and Huston is solid overall. Kruger tries, but there’s something lacking in her femme fatale, and the writing for her character doesn’t help at all.
Marlowe can best be described as going through the motions. It’s a film that feels like it shouldn’t be here, and every creative decision, down to the writing and directing, supports that. The neo-noir may dress the part, but it’s severely lacking everything that would have made this an enjoyable, magnetic take on Philip Marlowe. It’s truly a shame the film has little to no personality to keep it afloat.Marlowe released in theaters on February 15.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Why Liam Neeson Thought Taken Would Go Straight To DVD Before Its Wild SuccessLiam Neeson recalls being very surprised by the success of Taken, his 2008 action hit, and originally thought that it would go straight to DVD.
Read more »
New movies this week: Watch 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,' skip Liam Neeson's 'Marlowe'Get ready to root for the bad guy. This weekend, Jonathan Majors arrives in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Kang the Conqueror in AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania
Read more »
'Marlowe,' with Liam Neeson, resurrects a vintage gumshoeThe richly hard-boiled terrain of detective Philip Marlowe has always been, to quote Raymond Chandler, 'a nice neighborhood to have bad habits in.' 'Marlowe,' with Liam Neeson as the private eye, is a reclamation project, a bid to recapture some old-school, tough-talking movie magic.
Read more »
Every Actor Who's Played Philip MarloweFrom Humphrey Bogart to Liam Neeson, many actors have brought Raymond Chandler's hard-boiled detective Philip Marlowe to the silver screen.
Read more »
Liam Neeson on Star Wars spinoffs: 'Taken away the mystery and magic''It's diluting it to me,' said The Phantom Menace actor during an episode of Watch What Happens Live! on Thursday night
Read more »