Early effort from director Atom Egoyan doesn't have the intricate sub-plots of his later movies but it does show that his penchant for stylized set pieces is not a new thing. From Maury Chaykin's elaborately staged sex romps for his wife to the hotel that the insured clients stay at; everything looks great but the movie itself seems sterile. Elias Koteas' performance sums it up best: cold and emotionless. Sex plays a big role in this movie but no one enjoys it. From the movies that censor Arsinée Khanjian views to the "extra" benefits that Koteas provides his clients - sex seems more a chore than anything else. Even with Chaykin's sex games, the excitement is more with the setup than the act itself. You know what? Big deal! Egoyan seems so intent on showing how detached (and boring) people can become that it is hard not to feel that way watching the movie. Egoyan movies are worth watching because he really tries to make a statement but in most cases the films become exercises in making pretty pictures and in some cases, pretentiousness. This movie just misses being pretentious but it isn't very memorable either.
Review of The Adjuster
