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THE GINGERBREAD MAN isn't particularly tasty. Robert Altman (SHORT CUTS) adapts John Grisham's first original screen story, about-- what else?-- a hotshot defense attorney (Kenneth Branagh) drawn in- to an increasingly dangerous situation after agreeing to help a young woman (Embeth Davidtz) whose father (Robert Duvall) is stalk- ing her. Though the individual scenes have their merits-- some good humor here, some strong suspense there-- the film, as a whole, is curiously unaffecting. In particular, the main characters are tough to get a read on. They never feel fully fleshed-out, nor are their actions always entirely believable. (Hell, I couldn't even buy the one-night stand that gets the ball rolling!) Still, it *is* kinda fun to hear Branagh et al speaking their best Southern. With Robert Downey Jr., Daryl Hannah, Tom Berenger, and former Bond girl Famke Janssen, y'all. (Rated "R"/122 min.) Grade: C+ Copyright 1998 Michael J. Legeros Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros
Originally posted to triangle.movies in MOVIE HELL: In Brief