Manhattan Nocturne is a modern noir murder mystery starring Adrien Brody as a hard boiled crime reporter Wren Porter writing for a tabloid newspaper now under the new ownership of a thinly disguised Rupert Murdoch clone, Hobbs (Steven Berkoff.)Porter is hired by Caroline (Yvonne Strahovski) whose husband a film director called Crowley (Campbell Scott) was murdered and whose death remains unsolved.However Caroline really wants Porter to find out who is sending sex footage contained in a memory card to a wealthy tycoon.Porter becomes attracted to Caroline, the wealthy tycoon sends his goons to hurt Porter, the deceased husband was a sleazeball and Caroline herself had a troubled childhood.The film starts off in a clichéd manner, it is portentous, sluggish and really not hard boiled or sleazy enough.Strahovski is seductive but despite bearing some flesh never gets to Basic Instinct level erotic. Brody who also produced the film looks miscast and the turgid voice-over becomes grating. Scott as the manipulative husband who ends up tormenting Caroline also looks miscast as he just looks uncomfortable in that type of role.The film benefits from a strong second half as the plot gets more tightly wound but director Brian DeCubellis cannot elevate the source material.

A different kind of love story. If you want to call this one a love story, because it's obviously more of mystery thriller with a bit of detective work thrown in, almost by accident - which is apt if you think about the breakout case and also the inciting incident. Brody may have been in the Pianist and other movies that can be described to have a higher quality, but he also did one with Argento when he lost his touch.So while this isn't really top notch, it does what it says on the cover. Is that enough for you to watch? Can you feel the temptation and the sparks between the blonde Femme Fatale (you may have seen her prominently in a TV show) and Brody's character? And should he listen to his heart or rather ... I mean Jennifer Beals is waiting at home for him. You can see certain things a mile away, but certain things may just be revealed as the movie flows along. Decent enough

Neo-Noir Fans will probably Like but not Love this Entry with Adrien Brody and Yvonne Strahovski. The Film's Noir Ambiance Captivates and sets the Disturbing, Moody, Gloomy Backdrop. All those Neons, Rain, Reflections, and Claustrophobic Corridors are some of the things that Paint a Film-Noir Picture of an Underlying Dread.Welcome as they are and just as Expected in Cinema as Art, the Story on Top of the Trash must make for a Twisted Tale of Murder, Blackmail, Perversion, and other such Dark Places of the Human Condition. This one Delivers on that Notion.Speaking of Dark, there has been a Lot of Ink and other Critical Venting on the Title Change. The Original was "Manhattan Nocturne" and was Rethought as "Manhattan Night". This seems to be a bunch of Nit-Picking Apart to find some kind of Entry Point for Commentary. "Nocturne" is a Really-Cool Word and does Connotate "Noir" (black), "Night" is not as Poetic as "Nocturne" but it still works as "Darkness". It's just not as Flowery a Word. No Harm, No Foul. Now that is out of the way, Moving On.The Complexity of the Plot Intrudes somewhat, but not to the Point of Frustration. It keeps You on Your Toes. There is Murder, Blackmail, and other Disturbing and Disorienting Things unfolding in this Modern Rendition of the Genre that includes...Print is Dead and Cameras Everywhere. Its Topical with Self-Involved Moderns using Technology to Capture Every Moment of Every Day in Egomaniacal EcstasyOverall, this is more "Neo" than most in the Genre with Campbell Scott as a Film-Director Mysteriously found Dead and all of His "Found Footage" reveals a Quirky, Sexually Obsessed Weirdo. Actually the Movie isn't as Weird as it Thinks, but does Skirt the Edge of Human Behavior that is Unpleasant but Real Nonetheless and although Watching other People "On Camera" (now a National Pastime), whether Intentionally (YouTube) or not is a Reality that is Here, In-Your-Face and what it Exposes is something that the Noir-World of Yesteryear Never Saw Coming.

This very dark and erotic noir just contained too many incredulous and far-fetched plot elements for my liking. There seemed to be a better movie lurking within this one that never really came together and emerged.Adrien Brody is fine as Porter Wren, the poker-faced investigative reporter and columnist for a daily New York City newspaper. When he's unable to resist the seductive advances of the gorgeous Caroline Crowley, portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski, Porter will find himself being led down a path of dark and demented secrets that will cost him dearly.All in all, this movie, written and directed by Brian DeCubellis, based on a novel by Colin Harrison, had enough intrigue to keep me interested for the most part, but it seemed to fall apart as it progressed, with the filmmaker choosing shock value over plot elements that might have enhanced the story.