Marlowe (2022) Movie Review

Liam Neeson, the 70-year-old actor, seems an unlikely candidate to play Philip Marlowe, the sharp and sprightly detective character created by Raymond Chandler. Chandler’s Marlowe was capable of cutting a sprightly figure, and most of the great actors who have played the role over the years, including Humphrey Bogart, Dick Powell, James Garner, and Elliott Gould, fit this image. However, Neeson, even when playing comedy, has a weight to him that doesn’t let up. In “Marlowe,” adapted by John Banville from Chandler’s estate, and directed by Neil Jordan, Neeson plays the title role, and even though he is not a perfect fit, he manages to deliver an enjoyable performance.

The film is set in Bay City, L.A., in 1939, and it opens with a shot of palm trees against the sun before giving us a glimpse of Marlowe conjuring himself out of bed. Marlowe was never a character who was light or meant to be taken lightly. Chandler conceived the detective as a sort of modern-day knight. Behind his ironical observations and biting one-liners, there was a sense not only of purpose but of duty. The old song says a man’s got to be true to his code. Chandler’s Marlowe was; so are Jordan and Neeson. In this movie, Marlowe is approached by Diane Kruger’s Clare Cavendish, a married woman who’s a bit peeved by the disappearance of her young, movie-industry-affiliated boyfriend. Clare suspects that the guy faked his death, but she didn’t tell Marlowe when she hired him. Turns out, too, that Clare’s got a dowager-ish mom (Jessica Lange) with an intense interest in her daughter’s personal life and in the life of an ostensible “ambassador” who is himself involved in the lifeblood of a (fictional) film studio.

The plot is not of the near-Gordian-knot variety that characterized Chandler’s books. It’s a bit more like, well, “Chinatown,” and the presence of Danny Huston as a transparent—and white-suited!—villain underscores that. Add to that Huston’s sleazy nightclub owner, a frightened sister-of-the-not-actually-deceased, an aging starlet with some dope on the not-actually-deceased, a couple of cop friends of Marlowe’s, a side order of corrupt bigwig played by Alan Cumming, and a savvier-than-expected chauffeur (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), and you’ve got more than sufficient components for a percolating plot.

However, “Marlowe” doesn’t do much percolating. William Monahan and Neil Jordan's script keeps a near-elegiac pace and tone (bolstered and sometimes mildly overthrown by David Holmes’ multi-varied score) as they pepper the dialogue with allusions to Christopher Marlowe, James Joyce, William Strunk, Jr., and Greek myth. He imbues all his characters with a self-consciousness, an awareness that they’re players in a pool of rot, a place some want to wallow in and others want to get out of at least a little clean. Early on, Kruger’s character says to Neeson, “You’re a very perceptive and sensitive man, Mr. Marlowe. I imagine it gets you into trouble.” The remainder of the film is an elaboration of that declaration.

Throughout the film, Neeson's performance as Marlowe remains consistent, even as the plot twists and turns around him. He brings a gravitas to the role that is both appropriate and compelling. Neeson is not only a formidable presence physically, but he also has a deep voice and a commanding presence that make him the perfect fit for a detective who is both wise and weary.

In many ways, the film is a tribute to the hard-boiled detective genre, which reached its peak in the 1930s and 1940s. The movie's setting, music, and dialogue all evoke the era, while the plot features many of the genre's signature elements, such as femme fatales, corrupt businessmen, and crooked cops.

At the same time, the film is also a commentary on the genre's limitations and excesses. Marlowe, as portrayed by Neeson, is a more nuanced and introspective character than many of his hard-boiled predecessors. He is not simply a tough guy with a gun, but a man who is grappling with his own mortality and the meaning of his life's work. The film's emphasis on Marlowe's inner life and his sense of duty gives it a depth and richness that is often missing from more formulaic detective stories.

Overall, "Marlowe" is a stylish and entertaining film that pays homage to the hard-boiled detective genre while also subverting its conventions. Liam Neeson gives a standout performance as the titular character, bringing depth and nuance to a role that could have easily been one-dimensional. Neil Jordan's direction is confident and assured, and the film's evocative setting and score help to transport the viewer to another time and place. While it may not be the most action-packed or twisty detective story ever told, "Marlowe" is a satisfying and engaging film that will appeal to fans of the genre and newcomers alike.