Sleuth 2

After bringing you news of Sleuth a couple of days ago, I said that I wouldn't pass judgement until I heard the gospel of the good doctor Kermode. Well, today, his weekly interview on BBC Radio 5 featured Sleuth, and he analysed the too-good-to-be-true build up, just as I did. However, as I expected, he didn't like it. Once he'd identified himself as "pompous but brilliant", Kermode admits he's even starting to warm to Jude Law, yet he has "serious problems with this film". He takes issue with the "re-imagining" by Harold Pinter of the original script, which adds a clunky third act that doesn't fit with the previous thematic metaphors. All in all, he reasoned why the film "just didn't gel", so it's fair to say that I won't be rushing to my nearest cinema when I return from the US. If you don't believe me, you can listen for yourself here.