With the number of con movies being released an apathetic response to another would be understandable, and in this instance recommended.
Marc Munden's first feature film is an inharmonious mixture of comedy and deception which, like its title character, has difficulty revealing a true identity.
On the one hand a black comedy, on the other a seedy thriller, ultimately the film fails to blend the two. The sinister edge is intriguing, particularly Hurt's role as a manipulative predator and the occasional glimpse of an ominous stylistic approach. Unfortunately, this strand plays subservient to a dopey romantic story.
Though Ricci's casting as object of desire is off-target, her strong performance countervails. The grave handicap is Frank, a character as pathetic as the dialogue he's lumbered with. Rather than reigning in Frank's weaker points, Simm accentuates them with a gushing emotional display that's like an out-of-control fireman's hose.