A stunningly abysmal sequel to 1998's very interesting Henry Fool. Even the appealing Posey can do little to redeem this totally misguided, convoluted disaster.

In the end, it turns out to be an interesting film, but it takes forever to work up enough steam.

Oy Fay! Starts out a winner but takes a left turn in Europe and turns out pretty Grim.

Fay Grim is less concerned with the details of contemporary spy-craft and global deception than with broader moral questions.

Movie sequels rarely work as well as literary serials, but the Henry and Fay movies have the ring of a satisfying trilogy in the making.

Hartley has been on a spotty run; his last film to get a proper theatrical release in Portland was made nearly a decade ago. But he recovers nicely with this witty, crackpot comedy about love, espionage, trust and secrecy.

The involved backstory and Hartley's own generic music both prove burdensome; the main attraction is the cast's amusing way of handling Hartley's mannerist dialogue and conceits.

"We don't buy for a minute the motivations behind any of the large number of characters, and Posey is nowhere near able to carry the movie."

[Director Hartley] has a solid lead in Posey, who's amusing, especially as her character gains confidence and as she begins to turn the tables on the duplicitous Fulbright and others.

A fun whirligig of a thriller that comes dangerously close to killing the buzz from its idiosyncratic delights, but manages to survive (mostly) intact.