With that out of the way, the film is actually good; it’d be darn near great if Matthew were excised entirely from the picture. Plotwise, there are plenty of exciting twists that are revealed at just the right time. Male adult film star Long Dong Silver (J’amore Ward) expands the world nicely and adds a sense of danger. The sex workers James and Matthew initially approach are sweet and wish to help, even if they don’t understand how serious the case actually is. The ending, with an extended cameo from Eric Roberts, brings all the threads together in a compelling way.
“…brings all the threads together in a compelling way.”
Excluding Cooper, the cast is terrific. Vierling plays James’s uncertainty in the beginning believably, feeling detached. But the more he looks into the murder and has to look over his shoulder to stay alive, the more confident and cunning James becomes. The actor nicely handles this change. Roberts continues his streak of memorable supporting parts, turning in a very offbeat portrayal of an unexpected character. Pat Nye shows up near the start of the third act. His deadpan delivery is pitch-perfect. Smith has the most serious role in the film, but she’s good. Her love and belief in her on-screen husband are believable, as are her frustrations with his attitude toward his work.
Sleuthhound Screwball may be a slightly misleading title, but it is still one worth watching. The story is layered, engaging, and full of surprises. Most of the characters feel realistic enough, and the actors are pretty good throughout. Unfortunately, the character of Matthew and the way Cooper plays him brings down the entire production a whole level by being so annoying and punchable.
"…full of surprises."
