I tried to give this film a go twice and fell asleep both times. "Heef" broods and smolders and has a few scenes of herculean theatrics but is otherwise AWOL. The female lead (can't be bothered remembering her name)is given so little to do she should hand back her fee. So should writer, directer and producer Brian Helgeland. Can this be the same man who scripted "LA Confidential" and Mystic River? Clearly a labor of love, a pet project he'd had in the bottom draw since high school. The problem is it remains very difficult to actually suspend disbelief. The opening credit sequence is a portent of things to come... a man is cycling round Rome yet the journey he takes bears no resemblance whatsoever to the actual layout of Rome. Surely anyone that's been or lived in Rome would notice immediately? A minor point, granted, but emblematic. They splash some cash around for SFX here and there, but as for great moments in casting as Peter Weller playing a fedora-wearing, chain-smoking wannabe Pope? Leave it out! About as convincing as a botched nose job.
