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Despite this movie being two decades old I had no idea what it was about when I finally sat down to watch it. It’s very high concept! Glazer effects an expertly solemn, convincingly gripping delivery of that premise, and he ratchets up the tension around its central mystery with finely tuned care throughout its first two acts. But by the end it can’t escape the reality that at its core the main hook is pretty goofy. When it comes time to resolve it, there’s really nowhere to go but downhill into Literal Exposition Land. I have a bit of a soft spot for movies that propose conceits so outrageous that they can’t pay off all the expectations by the time the bill comes due, so I didn’t hate this. But for all its auteuristic build up, it’s no wonder its reputation remains relatively sleight.
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