|
 Rated: R
Starring: Michael Caine and Jude Law
Directed By: Kenneth Branagh
The original Sleuth was made back in 1972, and with this 2007 remake, we find the brilliance has not been tarnished. Michael Caine and Jude Law deliver wonderful performances in this comedy/drama, a movie for film majors, mystery lovers and instructors in the fine arts.
The plot centers around Andrew Wyke
(Caine), a well-known and prosperous author, who one night receives a visitor
(Milo played by Law) who makes himself known as his wife’s lover. He has come to Wyke’s secluded estate to ask
him to allow his wife a divorce so he can marry her. We are then treated to an evening of cat and
mouse between the two strange characters that seem to be vying for a chance to
win over the approval of the other’s inconceivable challenges. When Andrew gets
the best of Milo, things start to change, leading to an unexpected confrontation
involving the local police.
 Michael
Caine does a flip-flop take on the role of Andrew in this 2007 remake. Originally cast as Milo in Sleuth
in 1972, it at first seemed odd that now he had grown from agitator to
instigator. Caine has been brilliant in
all he has done, his career spanning over a half century of
exciting, imaginative and dazzling characters. They are his legacy and our
reward. And with this performance, he gives a magical and mesmerizing depiction of Andrew,
sure to bring him further recognition at awards time.
But the magic would not have
happened in Sleuth without a stellar acting job by Jude Law. His Milo, sometimes creepy, other times
buffoon-like, sets the tone of the two-man show. Grabbing the camera’s attention with little
nuances that make his character believable, Law certainly is outstanding as the
crucial straight man in this duo.
Wonderfully imaginative, cunning
and creative, this film should be one of the tools of every film and theatre
professor. Outstanding direction by
Branagh, who allows his characters to seemingly ad-lib at times, bringing out the
eccentric personalities of the two cunning, and sometimes intense characters, making the film enjoyably comical in places.
FINAL
ANALYSIS: A great theatrical film with outstanding acting and a quirky,
unforgettable plot. If you like films
that make you think with characters that play off a lot of dialogue, then Sleuth
is your cup of tea.
|
