The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond

The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond is evidently based on a rare original screenplay from noted playwright Tennessee Williams, and, if the final product is any indication, the script probably should’ve stayed buried. The film, unsurprisingly set in the 1920s, follows a rich society girl (Bryce Dallas Howard’s Fisher) as she prepares to attend an important social event alongside an impoverished local (Chris Evans’ Jimmy), though Fisher’s plans for a good time are derailed after she loses a $5,000 “teardrop” diamond. While the movie is generally well acted and pleasant to look at, The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond is almost completely devoid of interesting elements – with the stunningly inert pace exacerbating the film’s various problems. There’s little doubt that the proceedings come to a dead stop once the action shifts to that all-too-important party, as the various characters are left with little to do but spout flowery instances of dialogue and engage in backstabbing antics. The wait for something (anything) of interest to occur becomes more and more interminable as the movie progresses, with the superficial and entirely one-note nature of Howard’s character effectively highlighting the lack of plot within Williams’ eye-rollingly outdated screenplay.

*1/2 out of ****