#i'm a bit skeptical that modern german courts would uphold a confession given in an obviously altered state

[cantsayidont]

PASSION (2012): Peculiarly uninvolving homoerotic Brian De Palma thriller, based on a 2010 Alain Corneau film (which I have not seen). Ad exec Christine (Rachel McAdams) steals the idea of her loyal underling Isabelle (Noomi Rapace) and her loyal assistant Dani (Karoline Herfurth) for the marketing of a (fictional) new smartphone, only to turn elaborately vengeful after Isabelle undermines her attempt to claim credit for the campaign, leading to a complicated web of blackmail, public humiliation, and murder also involving Dani and Christine's boyfriend Dirk (Paul Anderson), with whom Isabelle has been having an affair.

The plot goes from boardroom drama and corporate skulduggery to murder mystery to psychodrama (with an odd subplot involving Christine's alleged twin sister Clarissa, who may or may not actually exist), and as the poster suggests, it's pretty upfront about the layers of toxic homoerotic obsession between the principal female characters. However, for all that, and despite several clever twists, it never really clicks — the setup is often too restrained for the grandiose escalations to pay off as they should, and the way the film establishes key plot points and relationships keeps leaving you feeling like you've walked in late. The leads are good (except Anderson, who's unappealing in the role of a veritable prince of douchebags) and there's much of interest, but it seems like the script could have used another draft or two. CONTAINS LESBIANS? There is actual (toxic) wlw content as well as the plentiful subtext, but you have to wait a bit. VERDICT: Not dull, but despite the title, ultimately too dispassionate for its own good.