While chasing down Short’s acquaintances, Bucky finds time to bed the luscious Madeleine, a socialite who might be the killer (Hilary Swank, with a slightly British accent). An affair ensues. Meanwhile, Bucky has other secrets to keep, and ethical lines has been crossed. Kate (Scarlett Johansson) is attracted to him, even though she lives with Lee.

DePalma pushes out an abbreviated history of Los Angeles, a sensational murder mystery and a Hollywood myth, and wraps it up in under two hours. It's an ambitious endeavor. Filmed primarily not in California, but on soundstages in Sofia, Bulgaria, De Palma (with the assistance of cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond and production designer Dante Ferretti) has crafted a re-creation of mid-century Los Angeles quite nicely.

The cast is at times great, and at times confusingly bad. It's curious to ponder how the movie would have turned out with the original casting: Mark Wahlberg was initially signed on to play Lee Blanchard; Maggie Gyllenhaal was offered the part of Elizabeth Short; Eva Green was offered the part of Madeleine Sprague; and Gwen Stefani was offered the role of Kay Lake.

There’s something alluring about this mystery, a stimulating who-dunnit that has its female leads to thank for its sleazy elegance. While it's a off the wall, baffling and at times a dreadful movie, it's never dull. - The A.J.