earnest thriller-cum-plemented by a less flashy, undere up an who loves him to manipulate the emotions. although the film itself is not as smart as it imagines itself to be, its certainly artful, with fine camera work by roger deakins (who shot the coens stylish the man who wasnt there), and solid, thanks to howards even-tempered direction.
verdict
a typical oscars movie. solid, middle-brow and w