The Merry Gentleman

Director: Michael Keaton; Screenwriter: Ron Lazzeretti; Starring: Michael Keaton, Kelly Macdonald, Bobby Canavale, Tom Bastounes, Guy Van Swearingen; Running time: 99 mins; Certificate: 15

For a period around two decades ago, Michael Keaton was one of the most formidable and bankable actors on the planet. But despite nailing the titular roles in Tim Burton's acclaimed Beetlejuice and Batman, his acting career soon hit the skids and eventually led to this directorial debut. The Merry Gentleman, in which Keaton also stars, demonstrates his remarkable flair behind the camera. It's just a shame that the unconvincing script severely detracts from some masterful and intricate shot compositions.

Keaton plays a suicidal hitman, whose true motivations are unknown, and encounters battered housewife Kate (Kelly Macdonald) shortly after her shrieks scare him off jumping from a tall building. An obsessive cop takes a keen interest in their relations, as he tries to solve an earlier fatal shooting that Frank carried out while attempting to sweet talk Kate into bed. A Christmas tree is chucked into the mix along the way, although it's best to stick to Santa Claus: The Movie if you're after a festive movie to devour this Chrimbo.

There have been plenty of movies dealing with two downtrodden strangers meeting through a random chain of events, only to nourish each other's lives and forge a joint sense of purpose. Yet few could have handled the development of such a mutually redemptive relationship in the flimsy and nonsensical manner The Merry Gentleman does.

After barely a couple of monotonous encounters, Kate is uttering hugely incongruous lines like, "I'd say we've been good for one another". That's news to everyone watching. In addition, the withholding of background detail concerning the precarious positions of Frank and Kate ultimately denies the audience much reason to invest in their lives.

While the writing falls short though, the pure visuals soar. Every single shot is exquisitely filmed, with simple imagery often conveying the loneliness of the central characters. In particular, Keaton's framing of the events we witness unfold - with either Frank or Kate positioned on the extreme left or right of the screen - is superb and emphasises their emptiness and longing for company. He's also a true actor's director too, as the camera often lingers on his own face or MacDonald's to allow their pain and pining come through.

The only merriment that The Merry Gentleman delivers is through Michael Keaton's masterful direction and the performances of the two leads. It’' perfectly watchable, but the story lacks the content and incident to deliver an emotional punch. One wonders what Keaton could make if he was given a good script.

> What do you think of the movie? Share your views