this be a modern day version of a 1940s narrative gangster film and also know a film noir and but with a different twist . steve martin and rachel ward and a few others actor be see talk to many classic star of the past a director carl reiner use clip of those film to fake conversation with the up to date real actor of this film . they make it appear that alan ladd and barbara stanwyck and humphrey bogart et al be actually talk to martin . obviously and the more acquainted you be with those film noirs and the more fun this movie will be a you try to recognize what movie those clip come from . ( the answer be show in the end credit . ) that the fun part of this movie . the not so fun part be simply try to figure how what be happen in the first place . the plot be not always easy to discern and and it doubly difficult because of the constant interruption with the classic film scene insert in the story . you get so captivated watch those old star that you lose track of the storyline . that a big reason i do not think this film ever catch on that much the story be too convoluted and just too hard to follow . ward be great to watch and martin be annoy after awhile . if ward doesn not look like the embodiment of a 1940s film goddess and i do not know who do . that and and the razor sharp black and white picture with the real actor and be nice to see . but and martin and who dominate the film and overdo the stupid comment . i would like to have see this film play a little straighter and like a real noir . it a clever film but sometimes too clever for it own good .