The final scene attempted to create a dramatic fadeout, showing the protagonist’s weary, spotted face dissolving into a wave of light. However, there was nothing glorious about this film. The ending left one questioning what compelled her to accept the role, as we are confronted with an image of latex and artificial features blocking Ms. Kidman's nostrils. Much of her performance seemed designed to demonstrate that actresses who invest heavily in maintaining their youthful appearance can still portray characters who look unattractive and perform poorly. It felt disrespectful to both skilled acting and ordinary women. The plot is a redemption story flipped on its head, employing non-linear storytelling and a technique meant to keep the audience guessing—though not in a challenging way like “Tenet,” but more along the lines of "Is that really Nicole Kidman?" She portrays an alcoholic who looks weathered and emaciated, belonging more in a trailer park than on screen. A more capable actress could have carried the film without so much facial prosthetics. The plot's weakness led producers to follow the trend of other productions—like Guy Pearce playing Peter Weyland under a heavy layer of latex—that prioritize retaining famous stars. The initial shock of Ms. Kidman’s appearance fades after repeated close-ups of her staring blankly, looking tired and walking with an unsteady gait. The film's moralizing is not only confusing but ultimately pointless. The attempt to portray a good mother versus a bad mother falls flat because the reasons behind the protagonist’s failures as a parent are unclear—presumably due to her alcoholism? Similarly, the storyline involving the greedy and haunted police officer goes nowhere, lacking any believable chemistry between Kidman's character and her former partner, which would have been necessary for a convincing arc of self-destruction. Regarding the plot, something from the past resurfaces in the old cop’s life—an original concept! The cop apparently suffers from PTSD related to an undercover operation gone wrong—also original. Clues are revealed deliberately so that there is no ambiguity about what viewers should understand. When the first twist arrives, it's so predictable that one might miss the fact that a crucial piece of evidence at the crime scene doesn’t make sense. The second twist, which involves further work by the makeup artists, follows immediately, and while the filmmakers intend for audiences to feel sadness for the protagonist, the reaction is more likely to be frustration with the writers for indulging in what felt like self-serving artistic expression. It's also worth noting that for a production of this caliber, the set details were surprisingly careless. Unless Ms. Kidman’s character is supposed to be sixty-five years old, there shouldn’t be 1980s station wagons parked in bank lots as if they were everyday vehicles. The film uses cell phones from before the iPhone era, but why include them in the flashbacks at all? The story only works if the flashbacks take place around 1980—which would explain the vintage cars—but if the present-day timeline is closer to 2005–2010 with Nokia phones (and Kidman’s police force driving older model vehicles), then the cars are incorrect. I suspect the plot's timeline became muddled when the “out-of-control teenage daughter” subplot was added, which could have been more easily integrated with modern smartphone technology; otherwise, the story would be bogged down by scenes searching for the missing daughter. Ultimately, avoid this film to spare yourself frustration and disgust. Send a message to Hollywood that if they want diverse heroines of all ages and appearances, they should cast actual diverse women in leading roles. If you’re seeking a modern neo-noir film, consider “Small Town Crime,” or for a focused and believable portrayal of a self-destructive drunk cop suspense film—with subtitles—check out "No Rest for the Wicked."

Source on TMDB