I don't feel I’ve seen enough of Roman Polanski’s movies to offer a complete assessment; my experience is limited to _The Ninth Gate_, _The Pianist_, and now this film. It isn’t a large body of work… but the truth is, these are all films that I genuinely enjoyed and have a very favorable opinion of. This one is quite good, fitting into what could be described as “neo-noir,” because its visual style draws heavily from classic noir films, although it's in color rather than black and white. Polanski seems to be an extremely careful and attentive director, delivering work that’s high quality, with every aspect carefully considered. The story takes place in 1930s San Francisco and shares similarities with gangster movies of the 40s and 50s. It centers on a private detective—a former police officer—who is hired to investigate what seems like a straightforward case of infidelity. Things take an unexpected turn when he discovers that the woman who hired him isn’t a jealous spouse. The pursuit of answers leads him into a complex network of intrigue and criminal activity involving a significant California company and a public works contract that could be critical for the city's water storage. It’s a compelling story, able to immediately grab your attention and skillfully blends tension, romance, and suspense in just the right proportions. Beyond its excellent storyline and well-crafted script, the film features a strong cast led by Jack Nicholson at a point in his career when he still possessed an appealing youthful charm suitable for romantic roles. He delivers a very good performance, contributing one of the more memorable works to his filmography. Faye Dunaway is also exceptional, portraying a “femme fatale” with dignity and elegant allure. John Huston (Nicholson’s father-in-law at that time) has a noteworthy appearance as well. The production values are superb too: it's beautifully filmed, with striking camera angles and clarity. The cinematography is very good, utilizing colors and light/shadow effects effectively, along with excellent sepia tones that reinforce the overall vintage feel. This was clearly a meticulously produced film where considerable attention was paid to set design and location choices to accurately reflect the historical period. The selection of cars (which play an important role in the plot) and the design of costumes and props were also handled with great care. Finally, I want to acknowledge the excellent score composed by Jerry Goldsmith.

Source on TMDB