Story Line: Unemployed loner Eddie Fleming (Weaving) is rousted out of his dingy apartment by Melbourne police ostensibly looking for a stolen car. At headquarters, however, Eddie's interrogator (Martin) seems more intent on having him confess to serial kidnapping and murder.
Bottom Line: This sharply written, neatly acted Australian thriller might've been a play just as easily as a movie, but it's extraordinarily well-done within its self-imposed limitations. It's mostly talk, but the story has labyrinthine qualities, and the plot twists are serpentine. Weaving's protagonist isn't exactly a Kafkaesque figure. He could easily be a serial killer, and his relentless grilling by police yields surprising revelations. Co-writer and director Monahan doesn't let his audience presuppose anything, so most viewers will experience The Interview on the edge of their seats. You can safely compare it to such TV hits as NYPD Blue and Homicide and perhaps more aptly to The Usual Suspects. Expect frequent rentals from art-film fanciers and other discriminating customers. --Ed Hulse