MALICE

CAPSULE REVIEW –– Becker yields a mass of ill-will with his mishmash of thrills, lies, betrayal and murder. A favorite of mine until a recent re-watching left me empty and annoyed. A stellar cast chewing on meaty roles is unable to clear up the muddle of a plot and murky direction. The one thing that is obvious is Becker's desperate need to seem clever, to constantly keep the audience guessing from one moment to the next. It's a ploy that works to his advantage the first time around, making the inner workings of the story beyond surprising. However, once the twists and revelations are known, the film becomes a one trick pony all about plot points and lacking true depth of character. Kidman acquits herself quite well in her first major American role out from under the shadow of then husband Cruise. Pullman shows a darker side of his personality he rarely gets a chance to use as the eternal nice guy. Baldwin is luscious, arrogant and evil as the super surgeon who turns their happily married existence upside down. Bancroft makes her presence known in a wickedly amusing cameo. Blink and you'll miss Paltrow as a delinquent college coed. It's rare to come upon such an adult-themed film with real bite and suspense, so I give Becker kudos for trying to do something different. I just wish the end result was worth all the trouble.