There's a lot going on inside the head of a quiet, likable serial killer (Owen Wilson), but since the story is told pretty much without going into any inside information about him, we're left in the dark until the inconclusive ending. Nevertheless, some people will watch this all the way through without really getting it, because the central performance of Owen Wilson is captivating.
He seems like a complacent, not too bright fellow troubled by hallucinations and unpleasant feelings as he tries to deal with his own demons. Nobody suspects that he's harboring a deep secret as a mild-mannered man guilty of methodically killing several strangers whose lives have touched his. No real explanation is ever given for his state of mind or his preoccupation with killing and how it started.
The cast is competent enough but none of the supporting characters have much depth. They're all enigmas whose behavior is never satisfactorily explained. Perhaps the novel offered more of an in depth look at the muddled reasons, but the film seems to deliberately skirt all the answers while at the same time offering an interesting performance by Wilson that does involve the viewer in the unsubstantial plot.
Not a film for everyone, it will leave some indifferent to the overall storyline and quirky characters.
He seems like a complacent, not too bright fellow troubled by hallucinations and unpleasant feelings as he tries to deal with his own demons. Nobody suspects that he's harboring a deep secret as a mild-mannered man guilty of methodically killing several strangers whose lives have touched his. No real explanation is ever given for his state of mind or his preoccupation with killing and how it started.
The cast is competent enough but none of the supporting characters have much depth. They're all enigmas whose behavior is never satisfactorily explained. Perhaps the novel offered more of an in depth look at the muddled reasons, but the film seems to deliberately skirt all the answers while at the same time offering an interesting performance by Wilson that does involve the viewer in the unsubstantial plot.
Not a film for everyone, it will leave some indifferent to the overall storyline and quirky characters.