Passion - Not that passionate, but not that bad either

Don't be mislead by the title, or the fact that it is a remake of a French film called `Sex Crimes.' There's not much sex and even less passion. However, if you're in the mood for something a little different then there's enjoyment to be found here in this 'thriller' - just. Oh, actually, it's not that thrilling either, but it is still okay - honest!

It's about a nasty female boss (Rachel Adams, who may just be a tiny bit too young to pull off running a huge company, but we'll ignore that for now) who takes advantage of her assistant (Noomi Rapace) and, before long, they're at war. You may see some of the pitfalls that the characters have to face coming - some are derived from their own bad judgement, while others are inflicted on each other.

Both lead performances are a little 'off' in my opinion.  The film is very stylised and the shots are long, drawn-out and deliberately staged to be 'just so.' It's like every set was based on a theater's stage and everything is bleak and minimalist.  Therefore, I can kind of imagine the director telling the two actresses to perform in this manner, so I'm certainly not saying it's the actresses' faults.  You just have to accept that in 'this world' this is how people react.  Unfortunately, because the characters are all so cold and distant, it's hard to really feel much for any of them.

Don't expect a masterpiece; I found it a little similar (plot wise) to the 1998 thriller `Wild Things.' Here everybody tries to be in control and nothing happens instinctively or out of reflex, instead the director utilises a slow, controlled ballet sequence to strengthen this impression. It's not as trashy as 'Wild Things' - it tries to be a little more arty. So, if you're in the mood for something slow and winding then this one might fit the bill.  I think I liked it more the first time.  The second time I found it a lot more 'hard going' to sit through.  I has completely forgotten the plot twists, but once I was viewing the film I did see quite a few of them coming.

Unlikely I'll bother giving this one a third viewing.

6/10 May just keep you awake if Freddy Krueger was haunting your nights