The first half of this independent film is masterful. Ian Holm holds court and Stanley Tucci rounds up the admirers. It is fanciful, whimsical, intriguing, and based upon a true story. The last is the rub, alas, because the true ending is terribly anticlimactic and gives the film nowhere to go. 25 of the last 30 minutes are spent listening to Tucci's pointless ramblings and pseudo-justifications as he speaks in a ridiculous accent. Too bad, because the New York backdrop is used to terrific advantage, and Holm is magnificent.
Review of Joe Gould's Secret
