Zero Effect

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This growing cult-favorite from 1998 has scored higher with others than it did with this writer. Detective Daryl Zero, super-sleuth and social washout, is hired to find out who is blackmailing a timber baron (Ryan O'Neal) in this debut from writer/director Jake Kasdan. Watching the trailer before the movie may have thrown me off, because Zero Effect is not very funny, even though the original studio promotion would like us to think it's a wacky comedy. Some moments are interesting, especially when Zero explains his deductive techniques. Ben Stiller gives a few good laughs, but his role as Steve Arlo, Zero's assistant, is shoved way into the background, presumably to make way for Kim Dickens as Zero's love interest. Good transfer, trailer, audio commentary with Kasdan, textual supplements.
—JJB

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