ScoobyWell Great visuals, story delivers no surprises

Sharkflei Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Predrag The film screwdly portrays the hero as a witty, angst-ridden nihilist surrounded by other nihilists (Tommy D and the hero's ex)who are one, and two, steps ahead of the hero, respectively (of course the Joe-Don Baker figure is three steps ahead). The unpretentious psychological depths of the film are one of its strongest features: Michael wears his Dad's suit to his mother's wedding, misuses the word "divorce" for marry" with respect to his mother. The homely, trite, but nevertheless tender relation between the mother and her new husband is a wonderful counterweight to Michael and Rachel's wicked (though much sexier) egotism. Settled age, age that has seen its limits, lived a lot, and wants the pleasures of company and routine are counterpoised to Rachel's cunning, calculating, perverse ambition. The brother figure - brilliantly acted - is an alternative to Michael - for he is dutiful to his mother and law-abiding. And yet, he also simmers with plots, and secretly envies his brother's bad-boy charm, good looks, and way with women.The film's first 10 minutes are confusing, but once you get hold of the style it flows pretty smoothly. The Underneath actually gets better as it goes along building to a climax that stays within the established rules of a film noir but is brilliantly realized by director Soderbergh. This is a movie that brilliantly weds selfishness with our common existential yearning for more and more possibility. It is a morality tale to the extent that it shows how destructive can be the pursuit of total ego-gratification, but it shows us this without also denying that Mom's tranquility and comfort in old age consists in a vacant stare into the television, hoping to win the lottery. A watered down form of the same despair her son expresses through gambling, irony, and deceit.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

jmillerdp Steven Soderbergh has announced his retirement from filmmaking. Well, Steven, how can we miss you if you won't leave? Please do. Because, your filmmaking over the past decade has been a series of seriously lazy videotaped "movies" and awful "Ocean's Eleven" sequels.Add to that, some of his films during his "prime" weren't so hot either. Case in point: "Underneath." This impossibly overwrought Southern Gothic nonsense is truly a joke. The characters here are all completely disposable. All they are in the film for is to be in an unending series of double crosses upon double crosses.Peter Gallagher's character is someone who you could never feel an ounce of sympathy for. He is surrounded by not one, but two complete psychopaths who are portrayed by scenery-chewing non-actors.Soderbergh was obviously embarrassed by this silliness as he used a pseudonym for his screen writing credit. Watch this and kiss an hour and half of your life goodbye!

gridoon Soderbergh's showoffy stylistics (color filters, flashbacks, first-person point-of-view shots) try - and mostly fail - to "spice up" a cliched and insignificant plot. Don't bother looking for anything fresh in this movie, it's the same old drifter-back-to-his-hometown / femme fatale / dangerous husband / heist-gone-wrong / last-minute-betrayal storyline. Peter Gallagher's detached, almost catatonic approach seriously affects the movie, but Alison Elliott shines playing the most complex by far character in the film and William Fichtner impresses even in his completely stereotypical bad-guy role. (**1/2)

jbels I hesitate to call this movie slow, but it is very deliberately paced. All the acting is very good and the portrayal of gambling in the family is an interesting aspect. Alison Elliot is adorable and a good actress. The director makes a cameo trying to pick her up in a bar.