Voices From a Locked Room

British actor Jeremy Northam's recent measure of success (Emma, An Ideal Husband, and Happy, Texas) paved the way for the video release of this 1995 drama, an incredible true story about a man who was literally his own worst critic. Northam stars as Philip Heseltine, a newspaper critic who has been dubbed by his victims as "the grim reaper." He takes special delight in skewering popular composer Peter Warlock, who responds first with outraged letters to the editor, escalating to telephoned death threats and worse. Tushka Bergen costars as American torch song singer Lily Buxton, with whom Heseltine falls in love. Concerned for his safety from the possibly homicidal Warlock, she tracks the elusive composer down and discovers a secret that is on par with the plot twists of The Crying Game and The Sixth Sense. This film was "inspired" by the lives of Heseltine and Warlock, whose relationship is compelling enough without the love story which has the feel of dramatic license. Northam, though, hits all the right notes. Recommended. (K. Lee Benson)