Perfect Stranger film review

certificate_15

PERFECT STRANGER

Throwing in a big twist at the denouement of Perfect Stranger does not vindicate the preceding hundred plus minutes of this formulaic and disjointed snore. As a thriller, it's never smart enough to pull off its intentions, resulting in it getting lost up its own self-important backside. It tries to keep its investigative plot lines up in the air, but like a failed plate-spinner, they all come crashing down in a big mess.

Agatha Christie had a habit of leaving out some critical detail until late on, making the solution of the mystery impossible. It's a cheap way of surprising people, but one that served her well. It's also a frustrating device, which is what it feels like here. Though the truth is, by this point interest in the outcome had long since dwindled.

Concerning itself with the subject of secrets - "Those we have. Those we share. And those we'll do anything to protect." - Perfect Stranger endeavours to explore how people assume different personalities depending on circumstances. Everyone in the film is not how they originally appear, but the manner in which this issue is examined and plays out lacks cohesion and focus. There are far too many loose ends and unanswered questions.

It begins with journalist Rowena Price (Halle Berry) using an alias to con her way into a meeting with a senator who she plans to expose as a hypocritical gay. When the paper nixes the story she quits. Then, when her childhood friend Grace (Nicki Aycox) is murdered, she sets out to find her killer, a search that leads her to Harrison Hill (Bruce Willis), the ruthless womanizing boss of a huge advertising agency. Helping her in her quest is her tech wiz buddy Miles (Giovanni Ribisi), who wants to be more than a friend.

Director James Foley fails to deliver any forceful drama from Ted Komarnicki's script, which veers off on too many inexplicable tangents. There are some token gestures towards spreading doubt and suspicion, but the red herrings are never developed.