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Half Moon Street

"I'm not ashamed of what I do," speaks Dr. Lauren Slaughter of her career alternative in "Half Moon Street," a move that plays like a drama but wants to be a thriller. Slaughter (Sigourney Weaver), an American Ph.D. residing in London, can't seem to get over the notion of taking on a second job in addition to putting in time at the local Arab-Anglo Institute; help arrives in the form of a videotaped advertisement- sender unknown- promoting the Jasmine Agency, a high-class escort service that specializes in model women willing to spend a few hours for a few extra bucks. Thinking she's got everything under control, Slaughter takes the job, then ends up meeting Lord Bulbeck (Michael Caine), a prestigious politician who becomes fascinated with her, and she him, with seemingly no care for discretion or security. ***

As a political thriller, "Moon" doesn't really hit its marks. A series of oddly-placed scenes involving sinister activity by unseen potential assailants add to the predictable nature of the film's mystery subplot, all leading to a foregone conclusion that rounds itself out long before it has a chance to generate any real suspense. The film works much better when it busies itself in the chemistry of Weaver and Caine, who inhabit characters that may not be the most thought-out or involving, but manage to gain our interest simply because these two actors have such an undeniable charm about them. Weaver's razor-sharp dialogue delivery cuts like a knife, and Caine's quiet, forceful demeanor is anything but expendable. They manage to make the most of the situations given them, and some scenes result in some rather hearty humor out of the sheer wit being put on display. It may not pull all of its punches, but "Half Moon Street" is saved by its talent.

A pretty good-looking transfer. The 1.85:1 image is blessed with decent color saturation and fidelity, with striking fleshtones and vivid interior hues. On occasion there is some noticeable bleeding, such as an earlier scene in which Weaver's character glances at herself in the mirror with lipstick on, but nothing too extensive. Contrast looks very good here, with only some minimal artifacts visible, while shadow detail is pleasing and blacks solid. Edges are sharp with enhancement halos kept to a minimum, and the source print is in good shape, with no scratches or dirt marks. All-in-all, a pleasing effort. ***

The sound comes in Dolby 2.0 Mono, so you know not to expect much here. Dialogue sounds fairly decent throughout, although it retain an ADR aftertaste. Sound effects are clean enough to be noticed as separate elements, but the score needs some ambiance, something it might have achieved in a 2.0 Surround mix. The track itself isn't burdened by noise or hiss, so at least it sounds clean in that respect. Not bad, but could be more.