S Pugh

I had reasonably high expectations of this picture - Steve McQueen, Gillian Flynn and a veteran cast. Unfortunately, the end product is a mess. The script is pedestrian, plot development slow and unconvincing at the most basic level; it failed to persuade me that four women without criminal experience could undertake a successful crime of this kind. Many of the performances were shallow and photography featured too many long close-ups of eyeballs and nose hairs. Direction is self-consciously "arty" and the film would benefit from some rigorous editing (two and a quarter hours passed with excruciating slowness). The only positive was the use of Chicago locations.

Whilst it is initially entertaining to hear Pierce Brosnan's cheeky cockney accent the simple foolishness of his role - "British CIA" and the ludicrous manner in which he turns up at key moments to save the day soon become risible. The worst part of this film is the children - who whine and cry and react very slowly to any life saving instruction from their parents. About fifty per cent of the action is Owen and his wife cuddling, caressing, reassuring their annoyingly bratty offspring and it isn't long before you find yourself wishing the whole family will be put out of your misery.