MISCONDUCT

US, 2016, 106 minutes, Colour.
Josh Duhamel, Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino, Alice Eve, Malin Akerman, Byung - Hun Lee, Julia Stiles, Glenn Powell.
Directed by Shintaro Shimosawa.

Misconduct has a very strong cast, Anthony Hopkins as a billionaire cynical industrialist, Al Pacino is the veteran head of a legal firm. The hero of the piece, an ambiguous hero given his ambitions and behaviour, is played by Josh Duhamel with Alice Eve as his wife. Malin Akerman is the femme fatale with by Byung -Hun Lee as a mysterious Accountant in the employ of the lawyer, stating that he wants only the truth. Julia Stiles and Glenn Powell play a couple of experts in the handling of abductions and ransoms. The director’s first film that he has had a career as a screenwriter.

The ingredients are quite interesting, the exposure of the industrialist, the role of the legal firm, information given by the mistress of the industrialist who wants revenge on him.

The film moves quickly, sometimes elliptically with the audience having to fill in some of the detail of the transitions.

The screenplay becomes more complicated, especially when the industrialist agrees to a settlement – but his mistress is also found dead. The young lawyer who brought the case with the help of the mistress is being framed, especially for her death.

In terms of realism, the film seems to go into the realm of aspects of pulp fiction, especially with the twist concerning the lawyer played by Al Pacino.

Promising more than it delivers.

1. The title, indication of themes, behaviour, character?

2. The American city setting, big business and pharmaceuticals, the legal profession, offices? Apartments, homes? Socials and parties? The streets, darkness, lanes, clubs? The musical score?

3. The strong cast, the criticisms of the screenplay and dialogue? The credibility of the plot?

4. The introduction, Arthur Denning, Emily, his reputation, pharmaceuticals, wealth? The clashes with Emily? The buildup to her disappearance? The experts called in? The plan, the gallery, the conversation with Denning, his punching the art historian, self-assertion?

5. The flashback to a week earlier? The introduction to Ben? Lawyer, ambitions? His company? The tension of his relationship with Charlotte? Her work as a nurse, the personality? The home arrangements? The message from Emily, Is Meeting her, memories of the past, the relationship 10 years earlier, her plan, seductive behaviour, his response? Her wanting revenge on Arthur? The information, the accounts, the swindles? The USB stick and giving it to Ben? His return home, the interactions with Charlotte?

6. His friend and his advice, Ben not taking it? The visits to Emily? Her friend to be club, Emily and her secret apartment, the friend and her keeping silent, the later testimony, the motorcyclist and his enjoying her, in hospital, Charlotte’s role with the injection?

7. Ben and his proposition to Charles, Charles and his comments, the expensive pen, the challenge? The decision to take on the case? The meetings, the information? The summons to Arthur, the discussions, his agreement to the settlement, the conditions, the return of the USB stick? Ben and his being puzzled?

8. Emily, getting the man to bash her? Revenge on Arthur? Ben finding her dead, his puzzle, the body being moved, his being framed? The final truth that Charlotte confronted Emily after meeting her at the social? The clash, her death? Framed with the tablets?

9. Ben, going into hiding, the threat at the club from the Accountant, the Accountant and his motorbike, his wanting the truth, warning Ben, the attack on the woman in the street? His taking Ben and Charlotte, imprisoning them, shooting Charlotte, then Ben cutting himself loose, the fight, his death?

10. The IT friend and getting him to investigate the accounts? The lawyer friend and his helping?

11. Ben and his confrontation of Arthur, with the gun? Arthur and his supreme confidence, smugness? His working out what had happened, his domination of Emily, her revenge?

12. Ben working out the connection with Charles, the buildup to the confrontation, challenging him in the restaurant, the story of the Accountant and his death? The police arriving? The abduction experts? Charles and his argument and innocence, pulling the gun, shooting himself?

13. The future for Ben and Charlotte, her confessing to killing Emily – did they have a future together?