THE PRIVATE EYE
A convoluted plot finds a down-on-his-luck detective becoming infatuated with his desperate new client. Jack Cook‘s THE PRIVATE EYE takes us on a twisty, often head-scratching ride through neo-noir weirdness. 
Mort and Michelle’s dynamic feels incredibly forced. The dialogue is a bizarre mix of awkward bad jokes and deeply personal romantic words. It is a baffling mix. The story is a mess, and there are innumerable superfluous scenes. The pace is glacial. At an hour and fifty-six minutes, this could have been eighty minutes at the most.
Michelle’s character has no consistency, and by the end of the film, the casting choice feels entirely out of place That is not Clare Grant’s fault by any means. Matt Rife (Don’t Suck) does his best, actually giving audiences a taste of his surprising flair for the dramatic. If the right people see this film, it could open the door for more serious roles.
The most successful aspect of the film is Eric Roberts‘ soothing narration, but there are too many inconsistencies for the final twist to go down smoothly. This is one of those times where a flashback montage of all the clues would greatly benefit the film.
THE PRIVATE EYE will be In Theaters Nationwide on Friday, February 9, 2024
Starring MATT RIFE, CLARE GRANT, ELLIOT, DENZEL WHITAKER, ERIK GRIFFIN, LEXY PANTERRA, JAY REEVES, ELIJAH BOOTHE, EUGENIA KUZMINA, ALEX KAGIANARIS, PETRI HAWKINS BYRD, ERIC ROBERTS, JOSIAH JACK KALIAN, JT PALMER, and CORY KIRK
Directed by JACK COOK
Written by JACK COOK, PATRICK ROE, HOPE AYIYI, and ROSALINDA BOOKS
Produced by HOPE AYIYI, STREAM GARDNER, and ALEX KAGIANARIS
Co-Produced by RAAJ RAHHI and ELIJAH BOOTHE
Associate Produced by JAMES FRIEDHOFF
Executive Produced by JOE HEBELER, JOHN HEBELER, MARK DOC BERRY, STAN PARIS, JEFF SCHOENLING, TIM DOUGHERTY, CHIP TURNER, and BILL MCCLOY
Edited by WAYAN PALMIERI
Mystery/Romance/Comedy | 114 Minutes
Rated R for language, sexual content, and brief violence.
#ThePrivateEyeMovie
Film Website: https://www.illusionislands.com/
You must be logged in to post a comment.