'Trixie' By Desson Howe Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, July 21, 2000

Emily Watson plays a detective in "Trixie." (Sony Pictures Classics)

In a rather complex scenario, in which Trixie eventually finds herself a prime suspect in a murder, she has to temporarily part with Dex to prove her innocence, brutalizing the language at every quarter. Unfortunately Rudolph's delicate, subtle style has a front-end collision with the humor he forces into the movie. Watson's performance – the downcast eyes, the gum chewing and the patently ridiculous expressions – comes across as manufactured shtick. Although some of those wacky utterance scan be amusing ("You're not drinking yourself to Bolivia," she admonishes Dawn at one point), she's too British and overqualified for the role. Although the hallmarks of Rudolph movies can be found everywhere – not to mention some of his usual performers – they don't add up to the usual magic this time.

TRIXIE (R, 117 minutes) – Contains sex, violence and butchered cliches.