Tina Fey: "A Haunting in Venice"

"A Haunting in Venice" doesn't work, for a few reasons that Amanda Dobbins outlines on "The Ringer."

First, the mystery itself isn't very interesting, and the climactic "revelatory moment" isn't dramatic. To me, the problem is that only one character seems to have a motive for murdering the victim. I think, in an ideal Christie tale, everyone seems to want one guy to enter "cadaver" mode. (An example is "Crooked House," where everyone will benefit from the death of Aristide.)

When you understand possible motives, you might find yourself (uncomfortably) sympathizing with a (possible) killer. That fun, queasy feeling is generally missing from "A Haunting in Venice."

Another issue is the casting of Tina Fey. I think I understand Branagh's reasoning. The Ariadne character needs to be American, and she needs to be a writer. And Fey is both of those things. But Fey's acting range is limited, and she seems to squirm throughout this movie. I would have selected either Christine Baranski or Catherine Keener. Neither has a reputation for writing. But both actors can project a sense of intelligence. And both would be plausible as the imperious, battle-scarred writer in this screenplay.

In any case, the movie is visually opulent, as Branagh's work tends to be. And Branagh himself is entertaining. This is a mixed bag.

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