Eye For Film >> Movies >> Eye Of The Beholder (1999) Film Review
Eye Of The Beholder
Reviewed by: Angus Wolfe Murray
Whether it is director Stephan (The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert) Elliot's fault, or Ewan McGregor's lobotomy, the character of The Eye, an intelligence agent stationed in Washington, has as much charisma as a dish of sick.
The fact that he hasn't got a name adds to the feeling of phoniness. He works on voyeuristic assignments, using state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, and never goes near the office. He has a little girl with him, who calls him Daddy. This little girl doesn't exist. Either she's dead, or living in another place with mom. The Eye imagines she's there.
If that isn't enough to send you screaming from the cinema, how about the plot? The Eye has to keep tabs on a suspect blackmailer (Ashley Judd), who becomes a serial killer. Rather than do something, like call the cops, he falls in love with her.
Elliot's script is pretentious and preposterous. Judd changes wigs every five minutes and gives no indication that she understands what is going on. McGregor, meanwhile, has passed away.
Reviewed on: 19 Jan 2001