Slowburn but Satisfyingly Violent
Summary
Marlowe is a little slow at times and not exactly packed with action but it certainly has its moments and earns its R rating. You can’t go wrong with Liam Neeson and this is one of his best pictures in several years.
Plot: Philip Marlowe (Liam Neeson), a street-wise, down on his luck detective, is hired to find the ex-lover of a glamorous heiress (Diane Kruger), daughter of a well-known movie star (Jessica Lange). The disappearance unearths a web of lies, and soon Marlowe is involved in a dangerous, deadly investigation where everyone involved has something to hide.
Review: It’s February which means it’s Neeson Season and this year he is tackling the iconic private eye Phillip Marlowe in this noir picture directed by Neil Jordan (Interview with the Vampire).
The trailers make this look more action orientated than it is but we do still get several fight scenes and the film earns its R rating with plenty of violence and a high bodycount.
The first half is a little slow and talky but this is more of throwback to old-fashioned noir thrillers with a modern feel and is one of Neeson’s better movies in years. It’s a more restrained role but he still gets to slap around some bad guys just to keep the fans happy.
Marlowe is beautifully shot and captures the time period perfectly with the atmospheric music score, stunning costumes and sets with a fantastic supporting cast including a scene stealing Jessica Lange, Diane Kruger, Danny Houston and Alan Cumming.
There are some nice lines of dialogue although I did a get a little confused with the story at times but stick with it as it all makes sense by the end.
Overall, Marlowe ticks all the boxes for an entertaining February potboiler with Liam his usual amiable self being charming one minute and beating up enemies the next; if you’re looking for an adult oriented and surprisingly violent tale then Marlowe is worth being hired.