Film Review: Eye of the Beholder (1999)

For the past few decades Ewan McGregor was often mentioned as the prime candidate for taking over the role of James Bond. However, the closest he got to that was when he played quite different type of British secret agent in Eye of the Beholder, 1999 thriller written and drama directed by Stephan Elliott. The film is based on the eponymous novel by Marc Behm, which was in 1983 adapted into French film Deadly Circuit starring Michel Serrault and Isabelle Adjani. In the new version McGregor plays Stephen “The Eye” Wilson, an employee of British consulate in Washington, D.C. who is specialised for surveillance. He is master of his trade, able to record each word and extract the most intimate secret from anyone. On the other hand, he doesn’t have much of his own life. He feels lonely and the only contact with another human being are video phone conversations with his boss Hilary (played by k.d. Lang), while at the same time he often has vision of his daughter Lucy (played by twins Anne-Marie and Kathleen Wilson) who had been taken away by his ex wife. Plot begins when he is given the task of discovering compromising material about son of a wealthy and influential socialite. Wilson finds that the man’s latest sex partner Joanna Eris (played by Ashley Judd) is actually a serial killer who is targetting men. Instead of reporting his findings to police, Wilson decides to continue tracking her and becomes obsessed with her. His quest continues for years and makes him travel all over America before two of them finally meet.

Like the 1983 French film, Eye of the Beholder failed at the box office. Critics weren’t enthusiastic about the film, often calling it “pretentious” and “overambitious” piece of art cinema. Reason for that might be found in Australian director Stephan Elliott, whose previous work with hit comedy The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert had suggested quite different and probably much more pleasant experienced than bleak and depressive blend of spy thriller, Freudian drama and road film. On the other hand, Eye of the Beholder might give few pleasant surprises to the viewers who base their expectations on film’s critical reputations. While Elliott’s script has its share of flaws and plot holes (like top intelligence agency apparently unaware or not caring for its employee using its resources for strictly private matters), Elliott’s direction is solid, with the pace of the plot deliberately slowed for the purpose of letting the viewers immerse themselves into the strange world of protagonist and his bizarre quest. The cast is very good, which includes both McGregor and Ashley Judd playing their strange characters with great deal of skill (and the latter appearing nude in couple of scenes). Same can be said of supporting cast which includes famous lesbian singer k.d. Lang as protagonist’s boss and Jason Priestley, star of teen drama Beverly Hills, 90210, who display his skill through somewhat unusual role of villainous redneck. Although far from perfection and demanding more patience than some in the audience will be willing to give, Eye of the Beholder can still be recommended as one of the less formulaic and conventional thrillers of its time.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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