University of Virginia Library

Overplanned

The space-world of "Harry
Kellerman?" is deliberately
constricted, as it is in "Carnal
Knowledge", but what there is
overplanned and unilluminating. We
never happen upon anything by
ourselves, or feel that the interiors
are worth looking over for
interesting details. Dustin
Hoffman's apartment is one of
those white glacial monstrosities
that the rich, alienated zombies in
an Antonioni film are always
turning up in; the walls are covered
with fluorescent lit poster-size
magazine covers representing the
Artist in various Narcissistic poses.
With sterility and "no exit" decor
gaping at us from every alcove, it
quickly becomes evident that
George Soloway (Hoffman) is being
groomed for some delicious form of
self-annihilation.

The major part of the film,
consequently, becomes an elaborate
guessing game between Herb
Gardner and the audience as to the
probable means and time George
will finally choose to put an end to
himself. Hoffman's performance
thankfully never descends to the
feeble jack-in-the-box improvising
that marred so much of his work in
"Little Big Man," but in this film
he seems to be recycling familiar
effects and cagily treading water.