Hideous Kinky

Gillies MacKinnon (Small Faces, Trojan Eddie) makes movies that are almost invariably intelligent, assured, engrossing, original; what they are not, at least so far, is thrilling. Here, for better and worse, he's working in a style that's too disjointed to even properly be called anecdotal--it's more like semi-anecdotal, with every scene beginning abruptly and ending just when it seems to be on the verge of getting round to the point. Again and again, you're caught slightly off-balance; it's bracing and refreshing for the first two reels or so, as MacKinnon establishes a mood and milieu, but frustrating thereafter, as themes skitter about the sides of the frame without ever quite asserting themselves. Worth seeing, though, for the performances alone; Kate Winslet, as a young mother toting her two daughters around Marrakesh in search of enlightenment, is compulsively watchable despite seeming far too grounded and sensible for the role. Just barely recommended. (M. D'Angelo)