by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
B+ Rated R 109 min
Any movie starring Halle Berry is worth viewing! She’s that good. Accordingly, this film, directed by James Foley and written by Todd Komarnick, features Berry portraying a journalist named Rowena in a complex and intriguing mystery that has a big twist at the end. Berry skillfully develops her character with riveting élan. The audience’s concept of the story is drastically changed when the big twist is revealed in the shocking ending.
Rowena is an investigative journalist working for a high-profile daily. When her year-long investigation of a U.S. Senator reveals his blatant hypocrisy at being an anti-gay conservative, while carrying on a gay affair, she is set to drop the bomb. Suddenly, her cooperating witness, the Senator’s boyfriend who had agreed to corroborate her story, is paid off to keep his mouth shut. Consequently, her exposé story is killed by her publisher. Livid, she resigns and goes freelance with her computer hacker friend and investigative partner Miles (Giovanni Ribisi). They have a strictly business relationship, although Miles would like to take it further. (Well, who wouldn’t!)
One day, while commuting to work, Rowena is met by her childhood friend, Grace (Nicki Aycox), who is carrying damning emails from a VIP dandy, Harrison Hill (Bruce Willis)–an advertising mogul. Grace had a torrid affair with Hill and he dumped her. At first, not much is known about Grace. Clearly, she has a complicated relationship with Rowena, which is revealed later in the story. This is such a meaty story that she could work on posing as a temp in his office. Rowena goes undercover to spy on Hill to expose his hypocrisy and serial philandering.
Tragically, Grace turns up dead in the river. The autopsy report reveals she was poisoned with a substance used to dilate eyes. Curiously, Hill’s wife takes art photographs of dilated eyes and she and Hill have access to the poison. Now, Rowena is hooked on her mission to prove that Hill or his wife murdered Grace.
Of course, Rowena is drop-dead gorgeous and soon Hill has his eye on her. She is just too great a temptation for him to resist. She takes it slow and gradually wins his confidence. She agrees to meet him at a bar for a drink. And thus, she weasels her way into his lustful nature.
Through the course of this story, there are few tells to help unravel the plot. Viewers need to pay attention to every scene to understand the big twist.
With great style, Berry carries the film with her stunning beauty and cunning, nailing the character with amazing verve. Miles works full time to help Rowena find evidence that Hill murdered Grace. Rowena works with homicide detective Lieutenant Tejada (Florencio Lozano) feeding her information.
The deeper Rowena delves into Hill’s business the more she believes he murdered Grace. While trying to install a spy program on his computer, Hill walks in and catches her. She makes up a plausible story and he is appeased. She has him lusting for her, twisting his good judgement.
As intrigue stories go, this is an engrossing trip into the dirty laundry of a user and abuser–Hill. Berry singlehandedly holds the viewers interest. Willis is perfect for this smirking egomaniac, who suffers from frequent fits of low self-esteem. Rowena has him wrapped around her finger as she leads him on with her sexual allure.
Ah yes, the excrement hits the fan when Hill discovers her cell phone with a text message from Miles who tells her they can get to his computer another way. Now she is exposed as a spy. Will he kill her or can she take what evidence she has to her detective friend?
Unexpected forces are coming together that will blow the lid off the case. From now on, things start to unravel in ways the viewer never expected. This is one film in which viewers should not leave to get a snack or go to the bathroom. One missed scene could cause much confusion.
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