Sleuth (2007)

Director:

Kenneth Branagh

Writers:

Harold Pinter (screenplay)
Anthony Shaffer (play)

Release Date:

11 October 2007 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Obey the rules.

Plot:

On his sprawling country estate, an aging writer matches wits with the struggling actor who has stolen his wife's heart.

Plot Keywords:

Minimal Cast | Game Playing | All Male Cast | Profanity | Betrayal

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Andrew
Jude Law	...	Milo
Harold Pinter	...	Man on T.V.
Carmel O'Sullivan	...	Maggie

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language.

Runtime:

USA:86 min | Argentina:87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14A | Japan:PG-12 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Taiwan:R-12 | Greece:K-17 | Italy:T | Germany:12 | Australia:M (re-rating after appeal) | UK:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (original rating) | USA:R | Singapore:NC-16 | Ireland:15A

Filming Locations:

Twickenham Film Studios, St Margarets, Twickenham, Middlesex, England, UK

Company:

Sony Pictures Classics

Trivia:

Michael Caine (Andrew Wyke) played the role of Milo Tindle in the original version: Sleuth (1972).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Andrew and Milo are sitting at either end of the long table enjoying a drink the position of the bottle changes.

Quotes:

Andrew Wyke: In this day and age, is marriage absolutely necessary? Isn't it a bit old-hat?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2007-10-13)" (2007)

Don't Expect Too Much

The most important thing when you watch this film is to avoid any comparison with the 1972 classic. Not easy I grant you but essential if you want to enjoy this film on any level. Any comparison will not be favourable to this version.

There is an obvious attempt to give this film an ultra modern feel by employing huge amounts of high-tech gadgets and having sleek metal and chrome surfaces on display throughout the house. Kenneth Branagh has made use of various techniques such as showing the action through security cameras and filming from different angles to give this film a unique look. However, none of these things are a problem. There is a slightly excessive use of swear words which does give the impression that the writer was trying desperately to engage a younger audience through any means necessary.

The first half of this film is engaging enough and follows the plot of the original pretty closely. However, the second half is a bit of a mess. Jude Law's performance is laughable and there is a homosexual undercurrent that has no place in the plot and is in fact very damaging to the credibility of the film. The ending is abrupt and totally devoid of tension.

This film is worth a look but don't expect too much. Michael Caine takes on the role of the rich and bitter Andrew Wyke and plays it very well with no attempt to copy Olivier in any way. Jude Law is adequate but not outstanding. This film might be better suited to people who have not seen the original but in its own right this film is still not a classic of our time.