Marlowe

Liam Neeson is a strongly capable actor whose committed performances are nearly always wasted on incomprehensible messes of films, and this latest one is no exception.

In fact, Marlowe wastes its entire talented cast AND a skilled production design crew on a woefully by-the-numbers crime story that is frustratingly clumsy in how it delivers information to the audience.

Most of the story consists of exposition-heavy, dialogue-driven scenes that are slapped together with editing that leaves it unclear how and why characters get from one place to the next. Much of the information we receive from the dialogue ends up being meaningless to the story anyway, and it just winds up being a confusing mess that left me feeling nothing.

Not a single moment is really dedicated to letting us know who the characters are, or even what their needs and goals are. It's over 100 minutes of meandering from one scene to the next without ever knowing why we're here or where we're trying to go.

Confusing, bloated, corny, emotionally bereft, and pointless. Just like most other Neeson flicks of the past decade.

With seemingly scathing reviews from critics and audiences alike, you'd think that "Marlowe" is the worst thing since Judas' betrayal of Christ. "Sleep inducing," "dull," and "the worst movie I've seen all year," are just a few of the things that people have said about Liam Neeson's 100th feature film - and in fact, if you take a gander at some of the reviews on this very site, you will see many of those sentiments repeated. And while it's hard to argue against those opinions, I can't shake the feeling that, perhaps, people expected a traditional Neeson action film, when in reality "Marlowe" is anything but.

With about 60 seconds of total action in the entire movie, "Marlowe" is a noir drama through and through. Sure, you'll get a fist fight or two, and maybe a shootout here and there, but both the fist fights and the shootouts are the most pedestrian and bare bones action sequences you'd have seen since, well, the last Liam Neeson movie. And while that would typically be a major complaint of mine, I didn't have as much of a problem with it here. You see, "Marlowe" never pretends to be or portrays itself as an action film. Instead, from the very beginning the movie portrays itself as what it is: A dramatic noir mystery.

Steeped in the anachronisms of 1930s culture, barely a scene goes by where someone isn't enjoying an alcoholic beverage or having a smoke. And because I have an affinity for both of those things, I admittedly enjoyed watching people constantly puff on cigarettes and drink hard liquor. True to its time period, "Marlowe" also looks the part - the movie is gorgeous, with impeccable set and costume design; I was legitimately impressed with the movie's portrayal of Los Angeles in its golden age. And the music, too, was very fitting and appropriately moody, adding a certain "je ne sais quoi," if you will.

If a visual and auditory feast is what you're looking for, you'll leave "Marlowe" satiated. So what's the issue? Truth be told, there are a lot of faults here, and this is coming from someone who doesn't think this movie is as bad as people are saying. For one, the plot, while not necessarily convoluted, does play out in a pretty confusing manner. Liam Neeson's Marlowe will go from place to place and person to person with nary an establishing shot to be found, almost as if he was teleporting to various places and talking to people who just instantaneously appeared there. This lack of coherency does make the story hard to follow, especially when coupled with the bizarre dialogue. Characters say things and have conversations in a way that is so unnatural that I can't imagine anyone behaving like that in real life, even in 1930s Hollywood. Yes, there are a few memorable lines here and there, but you do have to sit through a large majority of unrealistic, uncanny dialogue.

All that said, I honestly didn't hate this movie as much as others seem to be. I found a lot to like in terms of the visuals alone, and Liam Neeson was enjoyable in a more dramatic performance. The main mystery is thought provoking enough, and everything wraps up in a satisfying way. "Marlowe" also is a lot of fun to look at, if you enjoy the time period and culture as much as I do. However, the bizarre formation of the plot runs the risk of confusing audiences, and the fact that the movie is 99% dialogue and 1% action also doesn't bode well for large box office returns. When all is said and done though, I liked this more than I thought I would, but I recognize it is by no means Liam Neeson's best.

Marlowe attempts to pay homage to the classic detective tales of Raymond Chandler but ultimately falls short of its promise, lacking the originality and creativity needed to truly captivate. The movie centres around Philip Marlowe, a private investigator hired by a mysterious woman to locate her missing husband. Throughout his journey, Marlowe becomes entangled in a web of corruption, murder, and betrayal, prompting introspection into his moral compass and identity.

Though the film boasts a few commendable elements, such as its stylish cinematography that effectively captures the dark and gritty atmosphere of 1940s Los Angeles and a score that aptly conveys the genre's mood, these aspects alone are insufficient to redeem it from its numerous weaknesses.

The primary issue with Marlowe lies in its lack of originality and innovation. Rather than introducing fresh perspectives or intriguing ideas to the genre, the movie heavily borrows from the existing source material and other noir films without contributing new or interesting concepts. The plot falls victim to predictability and clichés, offering twists and turns that are either glaringly obvious or illogical. The dialogue, too, is uninspiring, burdened by excessive exposition and cheesy one-liners. The characters remain one-dimensional and stereotypical, devoid of depth or meaningful development. The performances range from mediocre to exaggerated or wooden, failing to elicit genuine emotion or connection.

Another major shortcoming of the film lies in its portrayal of Philip Marlowe. Marlowe is one of the most iconic and intricately crafted characters in literature, yet the movie reduces him to a generic and unremarkable hero. It neglects the wit, charm, and moral ambiguity that made him so compelling. The film misses opportunities to delve into Marlowe's psychology, motivations, and worldview, robbing the character of any meaningful exploration or growth. As a result, Marlowe becomes a mere action figure, merely transitioning from one scene to the next without leaving an emotional impact or resonance.

Marlowe is disappointing; it will fade into obscurity, never having done justice to its source material or the noir genre. It squanders the chance to breathe new life into and reinvent the tradition of noir and fails to provide a memorable and engaging cinematic experience. I would recommend enthusiasts of noir or detective stories or those seeking more profound and substantial contributions from the world of cinema to stay away! Marlowe is shallow and superficial, and you'll forget it as soon as you leave the cinema.

We were disappointed from the beginning of the film. The dialog was stilted and awkward. As the movie progressed, the plot was murky and the characters undeveloped. The best part for me was the arrival of Colm Meaney's character - he absolutely brought life and color to an otherwise dull and lifeless film. A total waste of an excellent cast. Withint the first ten minutes, we considered leaving but decided to stick with it. I fell asleep after 20 minutes and woke up in time to enjoy Meaney's performance. Also, the actor playing Cedric did a great job and I look forward to seeing more of him in the future. I recommend that if you're looking for a movie to watch, give this one a pass. Not the Marlowe that I was looking for.

The iconic titular character of "Marlowe" epitomises noir, but in resurrecting him veteran director / co-writer (with William Monahan) Neil Jordan waters the noir style down to nothing, leaving only a dull, even-paced mystery that fails to engage. Liam Neeson's the aforementioned '30s LA gum-shoe here, hired by wealthy 'femme fatale' Diane Kruger (daughter of 'femme fatale' Jessica Lange (good)) to find presumed dead lover François Arnaud who's wrapped in some kinda drug-running plot with the likes of Danny Huston & Alan Cumming, under the noses of cops like Joe Green & Colm Meaney. It's bland, plodding fare, and is just not noir. Poor.