Dark - as in literally dark, with the majority of the scenes dimly lit (partly for effect, partly, I suspect, to obscure familiar filming locations) - and intriguing police fantasy fiction. Not a total success by any means, the plot is complicated and unclearly communicated and more effort seems to have gone into atmosphere than coherence. The acting wobbles a bit, mostly likely due to the direction than anything else, but concepts of perception, identity and belief are explored in thoughtful ways. It's perhaps overlong for what turns out to be a fairly predictable outcome, but there are plenty of effective scenes rich with real suspense. Requires patience and may reward repeated viewing more than a single go round, but it's an involving and worthwhile drama.
Review of The City and the City
