HarryMoseby(GeneHackman),aworn-outprivatedetective,ishiredtolookfora16-year-oldgirlwhohasrunawayfromtheluxuryhomeofhermother,formerlyasmall-timeactressinLosAngeles.Themorethewearycynictriestogetunderthesurfaceoftheseeminglysimplecase,theharderitisforhimtofindhisbearingsamongtheliesanddeceptionsthatsurroundhim.EightyearsafterthekeyNewHollywoodfilmBonnieandClyde,ArthurPennandGeneHackmanreunitedtocollaborateonwhatwastobecomeoneofthemostundervaluedfilmsofthedecade.LikePolanskiinChinatownorAltmaninTheLongGoodbye,inhisrevisionistfilmnoir,Pennalsoallowsthe1940sclassicgenretopervadethecomplexrealityofthe1970s.ThefeelingsofbitternessandemptinessinthemodernChandleresqueprotagonistoriginatenotonlyinthe“public”sphereofthestrange,increasinglyconvolutedcase,butinhisprivatelifeaswell(boyhoodtrauma,abrokenmarriage).AsMosebyremarksofasportingevent,“nobody’swinning…onesideisjustlosingslowerthantheother.”
