Alan Cumming

This is 70-year-old Liam Neeson’s 100th film! I just wish it were better. Based on The Black-Eyed Blonde by Irish novelist John Banville, writing under the pseudonym Benjamin Black, it’s not even one of Raymond Chandler’s original Philip Marlowe tales. Leisurely scripted by William Monahan (The Departed) as a vintage film noir, it’s self-consciously directed by Neil Jordan.

It’s not February without Liam Neeson hunting someone down and killing them. This time he tries Noir on for size as he follows the fingerprints of a long list of famous actors like Humphrey Bogart, Robert Mitchum and James Garner by playing the 1930’s sleuth, Philip Marlowe. Neeson is no stranger to the cop turned detective role in this, his 100th film. While he can still beat up multiple men half his age all in one punch, Liam utters once again, “I’m getting too old for this.” making him a rather worse for wear gumshoe. Give Neeson credit for continuing to try to please his fans and tackling a slightly different style, but Marlowe is just mediocre