Marlowe Movie Review

“Marlowe” is a not-so-engaging film noir set in the Bay City in October of 1939. It’s based on a novel by John Banville, who also wrote Albert Nobbs (2011), The Sea (2013) and Quirke (2013), which were also turned into movies. In books by Raymond Chandler, the Marlowe character is so popular that he practically defines the gumshoe character itself. Chandler wouldn’t be so happy with his operative so weak and feckless as he is here. An aging Neeson may have been the right fit for the part several years ago, but perhaps it’s time to hang up the roles that call for him to play characters like this, where his being cast makes the story unbelievable for the audience.

“Marlowe” is directed by the exceptional writer and director Neil Jordan, who did not write the script for the film but did direct. His films include “The Crying Game,” “Interview with a Vampire,” “Michael Collins” and “Greta.” Writing the screenplay for this is William Monahan, known for “The Departed” and, most recently, “The Tender Bar.” Good stories, both, but, I’ll put it this way, the well-known L.A. private detective deserved much better than what Monahan gave him. The writing is ill-conceived and stale, creating a highly boring movie-going experience. As wonderful as Liam Neeson is, his wit and smooth style didn’t work to save this film. The visuals are nice, but when your movie should be dark and brooding, they don’t matter quite so much when you need a save. I reiterate, the ineffectiveness isn’t in the film’s directing as much as in Monahan’s screenplay. The story does mimic the past film noir, but that’s about it. There’s no “Chinatown” here.

Marlowe is hired by Clare Cavendish, played by the very married yet flirty Diane Kruger (Inglorious Basterds). Clare is searching for her lover Nico Peters (François Arnaud), who is supposedly dead due to a hit-and-run in front of the club he frequented. That said, poor Clare swears to Marlowe she saw the man recently in Tijuana. So, what gives?

Clare is the daughter of a well-known movie star played by Jessica Lange (Titus, Frances). Lange was incredible. Cumming is an odd character and does he bring it! I thoroughly enjoyed Huston’s nastiness, but the script made no one shine. I so don’t want this movie to kill the genre. See “Double Indemnity” and “To Have and Have Not,” but maybe leave this one for a cable watch if you’re a Neeson fan. In the film, he utters the reason why himself… he’s getting too old for this.