Sleuth

Sleuth, adapted by Harold Pinter from Anthony Shaffer’s stageplay (which was the basis of a 1972 film), casts Michael Caine and Jude Law as adversaries who torment one another with a series of increasingly nasty mind games (their animosity stems from Law’s illicit relationship with Caine’s wife). Director Kenneth Branagh initially infuses Sleuth with an ostentatious sense of style that proves to be incredibly distracting, as the filmmaker places his camera in increasingly off-kilter locations (behind shutters, around corners, etc) and even relies heavily on security-cam footage during much of the movie’s first act. Branagh’s ill-fated directorial choices prove to be the least of the film’s problems, however; Pinter’s clunky dialogue couldn’t possibly feel more artificial and stagy, while both Caine and Law (as effective as they are) find themselves trapped within the confines of incredibly unpleasant figures. It’s consequently impossible to care about the fate of either of their characters, and Sleuth ultimately reveals itself to be little more than an actor’s showcase.

*1/2 out of ****