City of Ghosts

Matt Dillon makes his directorial debut with this shot-in-Cambodia sweat-drenched thriller, a Graham Greene-like tale of skullduggery in a dangerous post-war locale. Combining elements of The Quiet American and The Third Man, Dillon and co-writer Barry Gifford have fashioned a convoluted story about a callow young American (played by Dillon himself) who travels to the Far East in pursuit of a rascally confederate (James Caan) who absconded with the profits from their joint insurance scam. While the fastidious Greene would have never countenanced some of the more bathetic elements in the script (a father-son connection that surfaces along the way, a redemptive romance) or --being a gloomy realist--the multiple happy turns toward the close, he would have applauded the pervasive atmosphere of suspicion and betrayal that Dillon cultivates for most of the narrative. City of Ghosts boasts an eclectic cast, including Gerard Depardieu and Stellan Skarsgard, as well as some impressive local actors, who all do excellent work. From the thespian standpoint, in fact, the most problematic element is Dillon, who doesn't invest the protagonist with the requisite psychological depth or complexity. Still, he deserves credit for putting his clout behind such a serious, ambitious film. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by writer-director-star Matt Dillon and co-writer Barry Gifford, a soundtrack spot, and a trailer. Bottom line: a small extras package for a small but engaging film.] (F. Swietek)