The loose story to this one centres on a power struggle between an advertising executive and her assistant. It begins with the boss taking credit for her aide's popular advertising idea and events escalate from there until things become deadly.There is no doubt that the story-line in this film lacks a bit of direction, with the mystery/thriller plot thread coming out of nowhere in a film which had been a sort of melodrama up to that point. But to be honest I am quite forgiving of this because as far as I am concerned this is a Brian De Palma movie that unashamedly sources his thrillers of old and, as such, is a wilfully artificial story propped up with lots of cinematic style. I always enjoy De Palma in full-on style-over-substance mode and, even better, he is that rare director who actively admits that that is his prime objective. I think we get a little too much 'substance' and not enough style in our modern movies, so I for one am always up for a bit of De Palma action. In this one there is beautiful cinematography from the start with the piece de resistance being an extended split-screen sequence where we see events unfold at a ballet performance while sinister events play out at the home of one of the lead characters. And the ending sequence truly is trademark De Palma - camp, erotic, violent and completely over-the-top. It's all great fun basically. The two lead actresses Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace are commendably game throughout and ultimately, I found this stylized, hyper-real thriller rather a lot of fun to be perfectly honest.

I'm not a huge fan of Brian DePalma's, I'll say that up front.This film didn't make me one either.Naomi Rapace of Girl in the Drago Tattoo fame stars with Rachel McAdams in a German-French production. Evidently DePalma isn't in with the big studios any longer.The plot concerns an executive, Christine (McAdams) who takes credit for an idea her assistant Isabelle (Rapace) had. When the client wants some improvements, Christine is out of the office. Isabelle doesn't agree with the proposed changes and takes her idea back, provoking Christine's fury.Christine sets out to humiliate Isabelle, and does a good job of it. Isabelle is driven to popping pills, to the extent that she is in a fog. Enter murder.There are some stunning sequences in this film, especially the ballet part. The movie has a lot of style to it.It misses the boat in the casting of Rachel McAdams. I suppose this was done to get funding overseas; she's not the world's biggest name, but she is a name. She is very wrong for the role of Christine, a hard-edged, sexually kinky, manipulative woman. She was 34 when she made this film, but she plays younger, too young for her job; and the needed edginess in her is cute.Rapace is very good, as one would expect. Christine should appear to be the stronger but because of Rapace's presence, she doesn't.I actually liked this story, and I look forward to seeing the French version, which I imagine is better cast and more atmospheric. De Palma alas is too cold a director for me.

This film is a joy for lovers of psychological mystery, visual poetry and cinematic rhythm. I know this film is universally derided, also among revered critics, but I feel no shame to say I loved every second of it.Passion is another fine edition to Das kabinet des Dr. De Palma. All the exquisite ingredients to his powerful way of seducing are here. The suspense, the hysteria, the other worldliness of the real world, the camera in a camera,the dream in a dream, the thrilling music, the drama, and the undefinable De Palma Touch.Let yourself be caught of guard. Go see it without prejudice!

Whilst searching round on the BBC iPlayer for the Nordic Noir series Follow The Money,I found out that the BBC had recently shown auteur film maker Brian De Palma's latest Neo-Noir.With the movie starring the original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,I decided that it was time to find out how passionate passion could get.The plot:Running a leading ad agency, Christine Stanford finds Isabelle James designs to stand out from the pack. Beginning to work closer with Standford begins to passionately charm James. Initially supporting James ideas,Standford changes her mind when she discovers that James has secretly slept with her lover Dirk Harriman.As Stanford reveals her fangs and tries to bully James out of the business,James starts to investigate Stanford's relationship with Harriman,and begins to make her own passion play.View on the film:Rolling the opening with a shot of an Apple Mac,co-writer/(along with Natalie Carter) director Brian De Palma cakes the title in decadent glamour,where all the "perfect" advert images and shiny tech are a mask for the decay laying underneath.Backed by an operatic score from Pino Donaggio,De Palma and cinematographer José Luis Alcaine reflect Neo-Noir low-lighting with bitter dark comedy.Sliding spilt-screens and extreme close-ups across the canvas, Da Palma gives the title a surprisingly playful atmosphere,due to each deadly turn James and Stanford take in their bitter feud allowing Da Palma to twist homages of his past works onto the screen.Inspired by the French Film Noir Crime d'amour, (which I've sadly not seen yet) the screenplay by De Palma & Natalie Carter gloriously threads a peculiar "Women's Picture" with crooked Neo-Noir teeth.Breaking into off-beat dream sequences,De Palma and Carter give James and Standford a soft shell which shatters into brittle Neo- Noir pieces as Standford's attempts to get revenge on James unveil a frosty Femme Fatale dame.Looking absolutely dazzling in the long lone shadows and 50's-style clothes, Rachel McAdams gives a great performance as Christine Stanford,with McAdams peeling away Stanford's elegant image to fully display her acid tongue,femme fatale sting.Pushed around by everyone In sight, Noomi Rapace gives an fantastic performance as Isabelle James,thanks to Rapace giving James a fragility which hardens into a Noir shield of rage,as James reveals her passion.