I have always admired the quality and versatility of British-born Director Stephen Frears' work, ever since watching DANGEROUS LIAISONS. Subsequently, I saw FILOMENA, THE QUEEN, and THE SNAPPER, and all helped cement my high opinion of his style, attention to dialogue and acting, and fluid cinematography.
GUMSHOE is an early Frears opus and, although very different from any of the above mentioned films, it already reflects his concern with extracting quality acting: Finney is verily superb as Ginley, the standup comedian chancing it as Private Investigator, and he is ably assisted by Billie Whitelaw - to whom Ginley refers "sister in law", as she is his former wife now married to his brother, taciturnly played by Frank Finlay, and with the nefarious but strikingly beautiful Janice Rule lurking in the background.
The underground sequences are quite good, those above ground not quite as effective. I also felt let down by the ending, but all told GUMSHOE is definitely worth watching.
GUMSHOE is an early Frears opus and, although very different from any of the above mentioned films, it already reflects his concern with extracting quality acting: Finney is verily superb as Ginley, the standup comedian chancing it as Private Investigator, and he is ably assisted by Billie Whitelaw - to whom Ginley refers "sister in law", as she is his former wife now married to his brother, taciturnly played by Frank Finlay, and with the nefarious but strikingly beautiful Janice Rule lurking in the background.
The underground sequences are quite good, those above ground not quite as effective. I also felt let down by the ending, but all told GUMSHOE is definitely worth watching.