this be an utterly putrid film of jim thompson terrific novel and a swell look babe . in adapt the book for the screen and writer denis johnson have strip the novel of all it dark humor and subtext and give u a tepid and dull film . go be the father and the whole mccarthyism subplot and which be crucial to what the protagonist do . and thompson denouement be drip with irony . thompson protagonist be a multi layer character who have good reason for what he do . here and elias koteas be just a boring hotel employee . no offense to the actress who play the femme fatale and but the role need someone with a lot more substance than she bring to it . william h. macy might be highlight on the dvd box and but he have just one scene . that it . come to think of it and he might have be well in the lead role . do yourself a favor . instead of rent this piece of crap and read the novel . your time and money would be good spent .