The Monkey's Mask

This gorgeous, ingenious reinvention of the old-fashioned film noir murder mystery comes complete with a hard-boiled private eye, a pretty young victim, many nebulous suspects, an enigmatic femme fatale and one major twist--the detective is ruggedly beautiful, slightly butch, coolly confident, 28-year-old Susie Porter (Jill Fitzpatrick). The Monkey's Mask oozes 21st century Raymond Chandler ambiance as Porter probes the strangulation slaying of a tormented poetry student, uncovering stunning details about her sordid sex life, while also--even though she knows better--falling for the girl's voluptuous professor (Kelly McGillis). Except for the ambiguous, anti-climactic and somewhat implausible finale, The Monkey's Mask serves up a brilliantly modern homage to everything that was great about the golden era of gritty gumshoe flicks. Highly recommended. (R. Blackwelder)