Peter Medak's disheveled take on the great film noir genre tries hard - with requisite voiceover(s) of the detective-protagonist, played by the usually competent Gary Oldman, and an atmosphere of pervasive corruption - but unravels in final 20 minutes with inexplicable plot elements and completely unrealistic actions by both main and minor characters. However, if you like your femme fatales fatally sensual then Lena Olin's performance almost makes this sketchy movie worthy of your time, as her scenes with Oldman sizzle in expectation and "you-know-you-shouldn't-but-you-probably-will" desire. Roy Scheider pops in for a couple of moments as the mob boss behind all the carnage, delivering a line about evil that is quite relevant today: "You know the difference between right and wrong but you just don't care." As for the end, at least it did fulfill the original film noir's alienating conclusions, avoiding a clichéd "happy" one. Final complaint, the pseudo-jazzy score was annoying enough to interrupt the flow several times during the film. All in all, just go on AMC and search "FILM NOIR" - YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.
Review of Romeo Is Bleeding
