The Face of an Angel: DVD Review

The Face of an Angel: DVD Review

Rating: R16
Released by Madman Home Ent

The Foxy Knoxy case gets put through the Michael Winterbottom prism/ microscope in this drama starring Daniel Bruhl and the ever watchable Kate Beckinsale.

Bruhl is Thomas Lang, a film director given the chance to adapt a book by journalist Simone Ford (Beckinsale) - the book is the case of American student Jessica Fuller who was accused of the murder of her flatmate Elizabeth Pryce.

But the deeper he gets into making this film, the more Lang starts to question his own sanity and role within.

The Face of an Angel doesn't fly in perhaps the way you'd expect it to with such a stellar cast.

Despite a relatively engaging turn from Bruhl and the delightful surprise of Cara Delevingne's debut role, it never quite hits the emotional beats you'd expect it to as it ploughs through the story.

Bruhl's Lang becomes the tortured soul and the story really revolves around him, which is a misfire as the trial and that side of the story becomes incidental to all that's going on in his life - affairs, crisis of marriage, crisis of making a film etc. Consequently the film, which is nicely shot and moodily evocative in parts, becomes a bit of a sludge fest as it heads to the final strait.

It's never badly acted, but it's just lacking some of the more human elements to fully engage - worth seeing for the trio of leads alone, it makes this Winterbottom flick one that tries but fails to meet its own mark.

Extras: Behind the scenes, trailer, interview with stars