Zero Effect

Jake Kasdan made his feature film directorial debut with this oblique thriller about eccentric private detective Daryl Zero (Bill Pullman) and his sardonic front man partner Steve Arlo (Ben Stiller). After the two are hired by blackmail victim Gregory Stark (Ryan O'Neal), Zero sets up a sting ...more

The set-up for Zero Effect is promising: A hermetic genius solves mysteries with his Sherlock-like powers of observation and the help of his increasingly embittered sidekick. Though the film ends up falling just a little short of its potential, it provides a fresh take on the detective genre. The mystery is chock-full of twists and turns, including a high-spirited and atypical love-interest Kim Dickens who may be more than she appears. Daryl Zero's reclusiveness and curiosity make for some ...more