The American Side (2016) Online

God, what this film could have been. Solid actors, good and sometimes great cinematography, extraordinary locations and a plot around Nikola Tesla's secret inventions. And it is even decently produced. But man, why why why did nobody realize the script was not at that same level at all??? Why did nobody stop the film's development until it was??? I don't know the director but the old rule of cinema says that it is almost impossible to make a good film out of a bad script. "The American Side" is a textbook example to that rule. There are plot holes everywhere, the characters are all overdeveloped on some narrow aspects that make them "authentic" in the moments - mostly the scenes that introduce them - but not enough to render them credible. The male protagonist's motivations shift continuously and although we learn about many of his habits, at the end we have no clue who he really is and what makes him tick. The worst is that plot- and story-logic are both awfully flawed in so many places that to call this film a "thriller" would be an insult to the genre. Again, I am not saying this to be mean, but because it made me sad to see so much potential go wasted so badly.

A film about Nicola Tesla's secret inventions would have deserved a better story, a better writer, and probably a better producer (not sure about the director, see above).

There is not much more to say about this. No, this is not an indie, this is unfortunately not a film. And that is REALLY a pity. Really.

For a specifically tailored thriller, "The American Tide" might satisfy the fans of classic genre with its suave cinematography, brash dialogues and distinct plot surrounding Tesla. However, many of the characters are thrown in haphazardly, the subplots pile in while the detective moves forward and aside from a couple of catchphrases there's not much connection to be had.

At first look, the movie has all the signs of noir, it's only lacking the actual word plastered on the opening title. The visual is engaging, using a slight modern touch for the lingering last century style, heavily resembling Art Deco. The camera angles are finely tuned and nicely position for romantic effect, which is definitely a boon to establish any scene of this nature.

The characters trade banter with bravado, this might be entertaining for a brief period yet it's not a substitute for full character development. In many points the plot moves by introducing new people or twist, although the writing feels like many short stories sewn in together with only one lining.

The most glaring obstacle is it doesn't provide sense of urgency or threat, the plot progresses, or stumbles forward, but the drive for characters is timid. It is visually pleasing and filled with noir elements, but it's only partially riveting.

Some reviewers complain that it's hard to follow the plot – but isn't this typical for film noir? Besides, if you watch the movie again (or only the scenes that made no sense to you), you will notice that there is no puzzle. The whole thing about barrel-crossing the Niagara over the American side is just a subplot that is not important for the main plot. The main plot goes like that: we have several parties that want to obtain both parts of Tesla's note. Some might want to destroy them, some are seeking for the knowledge of how they fit together and what they mean. In the end we see that Charlie has both parts in his lighter: one on the front, the other on the back. Of course Nikki Meeker has put it in there. Remember? She "stole" the lighter from him before. Now the light of the pinball machine and ta-da: Tesla's potentially "world-changing" note in it's entirety. Then the phone call for Charlie. But that's part of The American Side II ... which, of course, will never be realised. I kind of liked the movie, but it was not enough serious Tesla in it. I give it a 7.

I'm a Buffalonian and a Buffalo booster, so I am admittedly biased, but it was thrilling to see my hometown, Lockport and Niagara Falls on the big screen, and in ways I've never imagined before! Greg Stuhr and Jenna Ricker's vision is both fresh and retro, the plot is complex and engaging, full of unexpected twists that require close attention. I'm not a noir buff, so I caught only some of the visual, audio and plot references to iconic noir, but this knowledge isn't necessary to totally enjoy the film.

The acting was really good. Greg Stuhr makes a convincing hard-boiled detective. The script is sharp, with some laugh out loud one liners. The score - by David Shire - is perfect. I can't recommend it highly enough.

This is the third indie film noir I have seen recently, and this is the best so far. It's an entertaining and absorbing 90 minutes, diligently written and directed and with unusually good acting performances by all concerned.

In a nutshell; Nicola Tesla was a prolific and important inventor. One invention, especially, had great importance but no one can find a complete copy of it; only one half of it exists. Private Eye/blackmailer Charlie Paczynski stumbles onto a plot wherein several agencies and countries are involved in a search for the other half. And thereby hangs a tale...

There are two minor flaws to mention; one is an extremely elaborate plot which requires your undivided attention so that you don't lose the thread. The other is the presence of Matthew Broderick, woefully miscast as an unscrupulous corporate CEO. He is too young and babyfaced, totally devoid of menace for the role of the heavy. Moreover, he seems disinterested and half-hearted in his role.

However, if you are a noir fan, go see it. It's worth your time. There are some Dashiell Hammett touches to be found, including a hard-drinking hero and some snappy Hammett dialogue (some of which falls flat). But don't forget to pay attention.

I can for the life of me not understand why this movie was made.

The plot is incredibly unoriginal. Using Nikola Tesla and a half-witted conspiracy plot as the main storyline just did not work. Presumably, the writer used him because Tesla is currently in vogue, I suppose had he written the script a few years ago the plot would have revolved around an apple conspiracy.

While the acting was good and even featured some good actors the whole storyline was convoluted, boring, and just plain bad.

I can't help wonder who financed this thing and more importantly why did Netflix buy it and subject its viewers to it.

what a treat. this little gem of a movie just proves what can be done with a small budget, a great script and a director with a vision. love that it's a throwback and we can have drama, intrigue and a fun, twisty plot and never have to see problems solved with smartphones! it also has a fantastic look and feel. such a love letter to buffalo and to the work of tesla too. it's a blast solving the mystery while you get an education about a great inventor who the world doesn't really know. also, it's great so see so many new faces mixed in with so many veteran actors. you can just tell that it was made with love and care and with great admiration for some of the great noir thrillers of yesteryear.

This film was simply awful in what was intended as an action-thriller. Instead of being fast-paced, it was laboriously slow. Instead of thrilling, it was dull. The plot was so convoluted that the viewer lost track of the different characters and story lines. I'm only guessing due to the confusion of the screenplay, but my viewing suggested that the characters' main goal was to discover notes about a scientific breakthrough left by the visionary physicist Nicholas Tesla in the area of unleashing energy.

The focus of the film was on a beleaguered private detective, who becomes enmeshed in the Tesla plot. The characters and relationships are so poorly developed that it is impossible to care about the detective or anyone else. The most insipid of the characters was a brother-sister team that was apparently out to control the world with the Tesla invention. Matthew Broderick was terrible in the role of the brother.

Somehow, the filmmakers were able to attract several well-known actors (Robert Vaughn, Jeanine Garofalo, and Robert Forster) for cameo parts. But the film as a whole was poorly acted.

The film style was also amateurish with endless repetitive shots of the detective clambering into his car. The set-ups and camera angles were atrocious. As the setting is Buffalo, there was an attempt made to get some action sequences around Niagara Falls. But once again, the editing was so bad that the scenes around the falls were never credible.

It is truly shocking to contemplate how this project ever received a green light and how it now has made its way into slots in Redbox machines. Instead of the title "The American Side," this film should have been called "The American Turkey."

"That's a gene pool screamin' for chlorine." That is just one of many one liners I enjoyed in this film. And I have to like a middle aged balding guy who writes a film about the designs of Nicola Tesla and places it in his hometown of Buffalo. And he plays the lead - a churlish hardboiled detective (slightly Bruce Willis inspired). Good for you Greg Stuhr! His character reminds me of Bosch - if you have seen that Series.

Buffalo and Niagara Falls make interesting locations. There are a lot of great shots of the Falls. There are four decent female roles which I like. Plus some major talent with Matthew Broderick and a few old stars like Robert Vaughn and Robert Forster, who has 177 credits to his name.

Both cinematography and the sound track are excellent. It is slightly too long. The plot is a somewhat convoluted but I don't care. I like this movie and I like the aspiration of making such a film on a small budget. And would love to see Greg Stuhr playing a detective on one of the cable or network cop shows.

The American Side Noir films are famous for their convoluted story lines. Noir fans love to find themselves in a labyrinthine maze of characters and sub-plots that seem to have no exit but a very, very dark one. There are plenty of classics that come to mind, but there are only two new films that measure up: 2005's Brick (dir. Rian Johnson) and 2016's The American Side (dir. Jenna Ricker, who also co-wrote it). Both of these films are self-aware of their own participation in the genre, so they may appropriately be called "meta noir." But whereas Brick seems to make its teenage characters awkwardly fit the noir archetypes, The American Side is more interested in testing noir archetypes against both a sense of place (Buffalo, Niagara Falls) and American history—really, a micro history of Buffalo's relationship with Nikola Tesla, the Serbian inventor who lit up the city using the kinetic energy of the falls. Buffalo plays a central role in the story, and it's a city that, like much of noir, gives us a Gothic sense of the past living in tandem with the present. For instance, protagonist Charlie Paszynski (Greg Stuhr, who co-wrote it as well) is a detective who seeks answers concerning a mysterious invention of Tesla's, and for a while you think the film takes place in the 1970s, alluding to conspiracy thrillers like All the President's Men. But then you see someone driving a car that can only be from the 2000s. These intentional anachronisms play into the classic noir sense of "space inheriting time"—that is, the spaces in which noir characters inhabit (dim offices, bars, grain elevators—it's Buffalo, NY, after all) say a lot about how characters feel and think. It's part of the expressionist movement that made its way into noir cinema. As you watch The American Side, you get the sense that you can read the motives people have, despite their best efforts to present a poker face. As you might guess, a half-dozen or more personages have some as yet unspecified relationship to Tesla's mysterious invention: a billionaire played by Matthew Broderick, a physics professor played by Grant Shaud, and at least four women who, taken together, both echo and defy how women in noir films seek and gain agency in a world of powerful men. Emily Chase is perhaps the classic femme fatale counterpart to Stuhr's private eye archetype, but don't expect some pat betrayal you might find in Double Indemnity or The Postman Always Rings Twice. Just when the hard-boiled dialogue is about to spill over, FBI agent Janeane Garafolo, prodigy scientist Nikki Meeker, or con-artist Kelsey Siepser are there to double down and ratchet up the suspense. With danger always around the corner, but Tesla's invention just out of Charlie's grasp (does it even exist?), the casual viewer will get lost in the maze just as so many have tried--and failed--to understand both Tesla the man and his inventions. Thus the plot echoes noir viewership: Don't be that casual viewer. Pay attention, take notes, and be rewarded for your own diligent sleuthing. I think there is a reason why The American Side stands out among thrillers: too often the violence is showy. Not so with Ricker's expert direction: I found one particular scene—let's just say it involves a lot of chasing and shooting—to fall much more in line with the way 40s noir films use violence to propel the narrative forward, even if studio heads used it to titillate and sensationalize. William Faulkner once professes having trouble figuring out who killed a key character in Chandler's The Big Sleep. Not even Chandler could say for sure. Now that's a story worth watching.

There are two things going for this movie.

1) Film noir tropes. If you like that sort of thing. 2) Shots of Buffalo. If you're from Buffalo, like Buffalo and don't feel like going outside, maybe you will enjoy this.

I almost added the Tesla history to the list. I love Tesla and this played a role in my decision to see the film. Unfortunately, the movie became so fanatically ludicrous over Tesla I'd rather they left him out completely.

The movie is otherwise awful. Painfully obvious is that the movie is essentially various characters walking up to Greg Stuhr and saying their lines to advance the plot. In this aspect it's just like an elementary school play, only with Matthew Broderick instead of your six year old.

The plot makes less and less sense as the movie plays out and becomes increasingly hostile to common sense and logic. Much of the movie flits around to various locations in Buffalo for absolutely no rhyme or reason except to squeeze in as many Buffalo shots as possible. There is no exposition and no character development. Not a single character receives any real treatment during the film. At the end, the only names I could recall were of the lead actor and Nikola Tesla, who wasn't even in the movie.

Overall, it's the type of product you might see from a film student who was only admitted to film school because someone on the admissions committee was snorting coke.

Fun Fact: Actress playing government agent was The Bowler in Mystery Men.

I had an amazing time watching this noir film at a film festival in my city. They don't make movie's like this one anymore. I liked everything in it: the plot is slightly complicated, but compelling; the characters are portrayed beautifully, by both some recognizable actors and the unknown ones; there is a Tesla angle in the story which makes me even more like the movie because I am a Serbian :) (Tesla was a Serbian too BTW); the movie leaves it up to the audience to fill in the gaps, so I guess that is the reason why some people won't like it as much as I did. I highly recommend the movie to all the detective/mystery genre fans, give it a chance, you won't be disappointed!

I'll start off by saying that I couldn't even sit through all of this movie. Mercifully, my DVD player froze up and stopped playing at one point and, rather than try to continue, I welcomed the opportunity to be relieved of this travesty and to offer my two cents here.

Starting with the opening credits, I was immediately confused as to what mood or tone they were trying to establish. It was a somewhat confusing montage of still visuals combined with a bizarre love song that was heavy with harpsichord and tambourine. None of this really said "Nikola Tesla" to me. After this, I very quickly became bored and befuddled with a trite storyline dragged along by dry, uninteresting dialogue, which insisted upon wandering aimlessly for what seemed an eternity.

The main thing that left me utterly perplexed, which I simply could not get past, was the question of the time period the story was supposed to take place in. On the one hand, the main character is a middle-aged bald guy with porkchop sideburns and a 70's-porn-star style handlebar mustache, driving around in a 1970's Dodge Dart and wearing a leather jacket with short sleeve shirts that are about three sizes too small. Combine this with nauseating paisley neckties and dippy aviator sunglasses, and you get authentic mid- 70's machismo.

On the other hand, his surrounding world is mostly present-day, with post-2000 cars everywhere and crowds of modernly dressed people walking around, some with cell phones. Yet strangely, despite such prevalent modern amenities, I never did notice a computer anywhere. For instance, there was a scene where a friend of the main character was shown using an old drafting table, rather than a modern computer, to help plan things out for him. Plus, Kojak here doesn't seem to have a cell phone of his own. Nevertheless, he seems always able to find a payphone or a bright yellow rotary phone readily available whenever he needs to make a call.

As I said, my DVD player froze up shortly after all this, and I was both glad and relieved. My advice: forget about this movie and save the two dollars you'd spend to rent it. You may, instead, want to put that money toward one of many excellent biographies about Tesla. Or you might want to just carry it around in your pocket as loose change and have it ready the next time you need to use a payphone.

The American Side is terrific. In classic noir fashion, a wisecracking and, shall we say, ethically flexible private dick (an utterly charming Greg Stuhr) finds himself fighting the forces of corporate evil in the person of a queasily convincing Mathew Broderick. The movie is fast and brash, lovely to look at, and has a scene involving a human going over Niagara Falls that simply can't be missed. Like all good detective stories, there is a mystery to be solved, and this one involves a secret invention of the great polymath Nikola Tesla. There are codes to be broken, family intrigues to be sussed out, and of course the small matter of a potentially unstoppable army that has to be stopped. It's Tesla, man, the inventor of some truly dope stuff. If you don't know who Tesla was, I suggest you go find out.

Saw this film at an independent movie theater and plan to rent it to watch again. Quite frankly, it requires a second viewing because of its very intricate plot. I've read some reviews on here that make me think the reviewers went into the film expecting a more sensationalists film with lots of nudity and violence and were inevitably disappointed. This movie is much more of an art house film stylistically, actually the kind of movie that would've been in the mainstream theaters in the 70's. It's a great alternative to the current slate of Hollywood thrillers, where one action sequence is piled on another and the dialogue is totally generic. This movie moves along at a decent clip, but might seem slow if you're used to hyper kinetic editing. There is minimal violence, no sex or even nudity, and barely a curse word. There's some patter to the dialogue, but it's not self-aware.

The actors (a lot you will recognize) all seem to buy into the world of the story and play it straight, which is something I personally prefer over all the smugly oh-so-clever dialogue we usually see today. To his credit, the lead actor, who co-wrote the script, surprisingly underplays his great banter and one-liners, the way actors used to before feeling the need to wink at the camera like they do now. I'd actually like to see this character again in another mystery. The real strength of the movie is the growing sense of a larger conspiracy that the down-on-his-luck detective has stumbled into. The stakes keep getting raised and the alliances keep shifting, and we're trying to sort it all out right along with the detective. Ultimately, that's the fun of this movie and why I want to see it again.

NO SPOILER HERE: This movie is a gem for movie-goers who appreciate fine Indie offerings. A bonus treat for fans of science history and detective stories. What a great modern-take American Side is on the classic detective films! Creators Greg Stuhr and Jenna Ricker tell a compelling Nikola Tesla-inspired plot. Being from Buffalo, I especially enjoy Buffalo, NY and Niagara Falls locations. If you enjoy actors with real skills, you will love this! I look forward to its full tour of great press and Golden Globe award! It stars performers with serious theatre actor chops Greg Sturh, Matthew Broderick, Robert Forster, Janeane Garofalo, Robert Vaughn,and Stephen McKinley Henderson.

The spoilers in this review have to do with my comparison of The American Side with a well-known classic film noir rather than with any details I'll mention. Like many traditional noirs, the plot of The American Side contains mysterious characters and elements that make it difficult, on a single viewing, to understand how everything fits together. This could be off-putting. However, I found that my awareness of the strong parallels with Kiss Me Deadly (1955) made the storyline easier to grasp and the film experience more enjoyable.

As a Buffalonian, I was proud that the filmmakers chose my city as the primary setting for their story (along with nearby cities Niagara Falls and Lockport). I was amazed that Buffalo offered so many familiar locations and buildings that contributed to the noir mystique. Of course, the final product depended on the skill and versatility of the filmmakers in creating the dark, menacing atmosphere so crucial to noir.

All the noir characters appear, the hardboiled detective (admirably played by Greg Stuhr), the femmes fatales (Alicya Bachleda, Camilla Belle), and the self-serving villain (Matthew Broderick). The character of Charlie Paczynski is interesting and charismatic and deserves a sequel for further expansion and development.

Take a heavy drinking, down on his luck, chain smoking private eye, who lives in his office and the reminds you is who? I'll give you a hint, there was an annoying cartoon rabbit named Roger in it. That's right Eddie in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" which was a significantly better movie.

In this disaster we have Charlie who talks fast, has the fat, greasy, and bald cop as a frenemy, and too many hot girls he's not getting any tail from. He wears Hawaiian shirts with ties, and blackmails his stings into buying the pictures the wife already paid a certain amount for to prevent her from seeing them.. He uses a stripper who ends up disappearing on a sting with some old as dirt scientist who is some genius as smart as Einstein, but is dealing with Tesla.

Now add in Robert Vaughn (The "Original" Man from U.N.C.L.E) as this scientist 85 year old neighbour who will fight Charlie while wearing a collared shirt, tie, his boxers and lederhosen. Then add Matthew Broderick as the wealthy but stupid, worst bad guy who has some sexual game he plays with his hot as the sun sister. The add this scientist's assistant who is apparently smarter than he is (whatever happened to Igor) and you get.. but wait..

Let's take yet another professor who was being blackmailed by Charlie and make him Charlie's friend who helps him evade bad guys. Let's take Jeanine Garafalo as a faster talking FBI agent , or is she? Add the Serbian version of the FBI (at some point not long ago was known as the KGB) and to top it off.. a billionaire daredevil who has designed what has nothing do with the plot but everything to do with the title of the movie and you find out what "The American Side" really is.

It is something I'd prefer a root canal over then watching this.

In order for the American Side to work, even a little bit, it's essential that you know nothing about Tesla, the man who developed alternating current. Because if you know of him, you'd know that he had no such dream of creating the mcguffin that drives the movie. Because the premise is ridiculous, the lengths to which various individuals and groups go to acquire the plans is simply not believable. But this movie has other shortcomings besides. To advance the plot, the protagonist, a down-in-the-mouth gumshoe who drives a Dodge Dart, is given entree to daytime cocktail parties and evening soirees where he is able to chat up the rich who for some reason feed him bits and snatches of what they're up to instead of simply calling the cops and having the guy thrown out. The movie is also replete with coincidences and characters whose function is to provide knowledge so as to advance the mystery, but whose fortuitous appearance stretches credulity. For example, the boat owner who hired our hero early in the film and to whom our hero returns in one of his hours of need just happens to teach physics and knows all about Tesla. There's more, but it's just too silly.

Originally, the only reason I selected it was because I am from the Buffalo area and love everything Buffalo-Niagara. Any time I get to see home is always great. The locations are used for no real specific purpose that I can understand. Why would anyone jump off the Lockport Erie Canal locks?

The actors are fun in a film noir kind of way. There is no real fluidity for their entrance or exit. The plot is mediocre with hollow dialogue. It builds to almost nothing and then ends. No real noir climax. I really enjoy the noir cheese and would definitely recommend for a displaced WNYer looking to see home. Otherwise, I'd have never stopped to watch this.

For those who are familiar with the film noir genre, The American Side is a refreshing reminder. Filmed against the backdrop of Buffalo and surrounding areas, The American side exhibits a cast of talented and accomplished actors: Greg Stuhr as the "no frills" PI, stuck in a time warp of fashion and possessions, Matthew Broderick, who once again entertains and teases his audience, and a cast of enticing characters. The writers have managed a plot that builds suspense and draws in the viewer. If you love film noir, if you love PI action, if you love twisted plots and/or if you love Buffalo, this is a film that will satisfy you and then some.

Anyone who knows me or has read my bio knows that I hail from the best kept secret in America, Buffalo, NY. I'm proud to be from Buffalo and this city and its people. In fact if you have ever met someone from Buffalo chances are they aren't ashamed of it and have a deep loyalty to the area.

Because we are considered a small town, when big things happen here everyone knows about it, such as famous visitors, major events and movies being filmed here. We even get excited when Monday Night Football is in town. When local actor/writer/producer Greg Stuhr decided to make his next movie here, people definitely heard about it. With actors such as Matthew Broderick, Camilla Belle, Robert Forrester, Janeane Garofalo and Rober Vaughn all having roles, you can see why this would catch the eye of a small town like ours.

The American Side is Greg Stuhr's love letter to his home and city he obviously loves. Visually it does more for the city of Buffalo than any other film made here, including Buffalo '66 and The Natural. There are familiar places at every turn, and even better is that they don't at all distract from the story and pace of the movie.

This is the story of a small time private eye who is usually hired to find cheating husbands and track down runaways. He soon stumbles upon a case that is much bigger than anything he has ever seen or heard of before. His case goes back over 100 years and the secrets of one of history's greatest scientists. The layers of the onion quickly begin to fall off and Charlie Paczynski soon finds himself deep in the throws of a giant conspiracy full of secrets he shouldn't be knowing about.

I did my best to look at this film as a movie fan and to give it my best and most truthful review. I will admit that my love of Buffalo and the perfect use of the city and its scenery does make me love it more than some will.

It is a throwback to the mystery film noir's of the '40's and '50's. The lead character is the unlikely protagonist whose curiosity and dedication may be his downfall but does nothing to stop him from getting the answers he needs. The dialogue is what gives it the noir authenticity and what some people will find as a flaw in the film but is exactly what is intended and makes it a good modern film noir.

The American Side is nearly perfectly cast, which is difficult for most independent films, especially with this type of genre. Greg Stuhr and director Jenna Ricker seem to pull off exactly what was intended with this movie and give it the fun factor that makes it so enjoyable.

Buffalo natives will love seeing their city and references to our greatest treasures throughout, including Stuhr delivering the line, "top shelf where momma hides the cookies", a favorite of all Buffalo hockey fans who love their legendary play by play man, Rick Jeanneret. This is without question a film that can be enjoyed by all...but if you have Buffalo in your blood it will thrill you even more.

The American Side offers the freshest thriller premise I've seen in a long, long time: upon his death, some of Nicola Tesla's documents go missing. Why are they so important? And why do murder and mayhem ensue? The story twists and turns -- and does not spoon feed the viewer. You have to listen and watch closely for the clues and be willing to feel lost, if only momentarily, which is common to the genre. But there is also so much to appreciate. Terrific energy; fast-paced humor; the dramatic scenery and architecture of Buffalo NY (who knew?); and a cast of characters sure to please: Greg Stuhr portrays a more than credible low-rent private eye; all the well-known actors give strong performances; and Robert Vaughn's cameo is a master class in the actors' craft.

"The American Side" tells the tale of Polish-American P.I. Charlie Paczynski in Buffalo, NY. He starts out as an almost unwilling participant in what turns out to be a huge conspiracy involving Nikola Tesla and the scientists' long living legacy of inventions. Greg Stuhr not only wrote a superb screenplay, but he also starred in it and plays Charlie to perfection. With a great supporting cast of Matthew Broderick, Alicja Bachleda, and Camilla Belle (among others); I don't think there is a doubt in my mind that this film will have great success along the film festival circuit and flourish in distribution. Plus the way director Jenna Ricker is able to capture the look and feel of a city like Buffalo is really unmatched by any other film of its kind. I got to chat with both Greg and Jenna after the screening of the film and they are not only talented filmmakers, but great people and I wish them nothing but the best with The American Side!

This is one of those could've been films. With the right story and leading man it could have gone somewhere. But as it is it just meanders meaninglessly. The biggest problem here is the lead character Johnny Paczynski played by Greg Stuhr a gum shoe detective right out of the 1970's-80's. but in living in the present day. He wears a 1970's jacket (I owned one just like it) Drives a forty year old car and smokes incessantly, or has a cigarette always dangling from his mouth. Charlie lives in his office, drinking hard liquor and taking PI odd jobs. He always has an unpleasant nasty look on his face.

I have seen quite a few detective films but I have never seen a bald lead character detective with lamb chop 1970's sideburns. We've seen completely bald lead star detectives; Telly Savalas as Kojak, and Bruce Willis. Willis would have been perfect as Charlie in this film. He does possess the serious rough edge swagger and can utter funny one liners with a slight tinge of comedy that is needed for this character. Unfortunately Stuhr does not possess these qualities. Stuhr looks more like a disgruntled CPA or a banker that needs a shave. Stuhr's slight frame and his demeanor are all wrong for this character. He doesn't have the sex appeal that Willis has, and when almost seduced by the lovey Emily Chase ( Camilla Belle) a client seeking his help, he brushes her aside.

This film is like a paint by number mystery detective story that gets so caught up with itself that it becomes pedestrian and boring. Then you have actors just reciting lines in different scene locations. Matthew Broderick shows up in the film as the villain Borden Chase. Broderick looks as though he is imitating about a dozen past film villains. He also is imitating Marlon Brando and Orson Welles in their later years by becoming a Hollywood overweight actor. Broderick must have packed on thirty pounds. It was sad to see veteran actor Robert Vaughn wasted in a short scene portraying a grumpy eighty five year old tenant. Vaughn was the dashing handsome spy in the 1960's TV hit series The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Janeane Garofalo makes a short appearance as elusive Agent Barry. I did not recognize her at first. For we all remember her as the adorable pretty cute actress in comedy films some twenty year ago. Here they had her wear no make-up and used harsh lighting that made her look old and horrible. With Stuhr as the film's screenwriter along with the film's Director Jenna Ricker. Stuhr must have pulled rank and insisted on playing the lead role here. Big big mistake. But of course the mistakes were not surprising since this was Stuhr's first produced screenplay. Along with inexperienced Director Ricker who has had only one other small film under her directing belt.

The only bright spots in the film were veteran actor Robert Forster as Sterling Whitmore and the two excellent beautiful actresses Camilla Belle and Alicja Bachleda as Nikki Meeker. Meeker the key to the puzzle of this confusing film. Here Meeker is sought after by Russian and Serbian thugs out to obtain the diagram to some invention created that could be used for peaceful or destructive purposes. Any fans of Buffalo New York will get to see a lot of Western New York landmarks and buildings, with short glimpses of Niagara Falls New York The American side. A big big disappointment of a could have been should have been film.