This film has attracted ratings of both 1s and 10s-- let's avoid the hyperbole and aim for the middle. No doubt, some scenes are poorly staged, and there are narrative holes galore. However, Warren Oates and Leslie Caron (currently appearing on TV in _Durrells in Corfu_, about the famous novelist Lawrence Durrell and his naturalist brother in childhood) give nice performances. This film evokes that early '70s washed out, depressing era-- exactly what the film's eponymous author Raymond (referenced in the film) accomplished for the 1930s. Robert Altman more successfully evoked this era in _The Long Goodbye_, the best modern era film noir. _Chandler_ has value for its evocation of its era if not for its success as a film per se. I betcha this is one of Q. Tarantino's favs (it's similar to another of his '70s film favs, the TV show _Then Came Bronson_).
