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STUDIO: Sony Pictures
MSRP: $19.94
RATED: PG
RUNNING TIME: 88 Minutes
SPECIAL FEATURES:
• Original Trailer
• "How to become a villain"
• "Secrets of Seduction"

The Pitch

"Have a martini and gumshoe it."

The Humans

Actors Albert Finney, Billie Whitelaw, Frank Finlay, Janice Rule, Carolyn Seymour

Director Stephen Frears

The Nutshell

"Albert Finney stars as a bingo-caller who, bored with his mundane existence, takes out a newspaper ad offering his services as a private detective. In no time at all, Finney finds himself involved in a series of plots and counter plots."

The Lowdown

The best word to describe Gumshoe would be quirky. The key when going into this movie for the first time is not to mistake it for a serious drama - if anything Gumshoe mixes up small doses of drama and comedy with a wink at classic Film Noir movies. At the heart of the film is Eddie Ginley (Finney), a likable sort who works the stage as a bingo-caller at the Broadway club in Liverpool. His dream has been to perform in Las Vegas as a comedian but for now he has to settle for various gigs at the club including introducing acts and on occasion doing a comedy routine.

While Eddie waits for his big break he decides to spice up his mundane life by taking out an ad in the newspaper lending his services as a private detective. Eddie has a sense of humor that appears to rub others the wrong way (he calls himself in the ad Sam Spade) - in other words only Eddie can appreciate his brand of humor. It does not take long before Eddie's detective services are required and he is summoned to a hotel room where waiting for him is a fat man who never shows his face and all we see is a side profile of him by the fireplace (if you know anything about Film Noir you'll notice this scene invokes Sydney Greenstreet from The Maltese Falcon.) Eddie is given an envelope with a picture of a young woman, a stack of cash and a gun. When Eddie discovers the gun his melancholy attitude takes a serous turn and Eddie now goes into full Bogart mode when questioning the cast of characters connected to the case.

Fans of Film Noir will notice several nods to the genre right away is the voice over by Eddie throughout the movie, and whenever something is about to happen the music goes up a notch or two (more like three) and yet after the music has peaked, nothing happens which had me chuckling a few times.

Gumshoe can be tricky at times as one wonders if the director is paying homage to Film Noir films or making fun of them - this is the feeling I get throughout the entire movie but whatever the case may be Gumshoe turned out to be a decent film in large part due to Finney's performance. Finney creates a character that is quick witted, onry and has a don't give a damn attitude which helps in lifting up some of the supporting characters who are mainly there for Finney's character to act off of - the supporting characters are fine its just they don't do anything relevant.

The only other character who has any substance is Eddie's former girlfriend who is now married to his brother, Ellen Ginley (Billie Whitelaw). Ellen and Eddie still care for each other, but their relationship is now all about getting in some witty put downs and a little bit of flirtation. Ellen is central to the main plot of the movie which involves her husband and her scenes with Eddie are the highlight of the film.

Gumshoe works if you go into it with an open mind with litle to no expectations for a big pay-off at the end.


The Package

The Martini moments extras, How to become a villain and Secrets of Seduction, are dressed up as something to get excited over but the fact is these are just mini-advertisements for other releases. Very disappointing and pointless.

6.0 out of 10