manuel-pestalozzi I did not know what to expect of Gotham, and I really was pleasantly surprised. The title is misleading, the location is realistic and unmistakably New York, as it is in the present. And the protagonists represent „normal" people, they are really more than mere comic book characters.The movie elegantly walks the dividing line between comedy and the film noir/horror/mystery genre. The story works from start to finish. It is really good and entertaining, I suspect it is a transcription of something European from the 19th century or even a classic folk tale, the basic question being „how do I pass the nasty ghost that's pursuing me on to another guy"? The cast is very good. Tommy Lee Jones plays a private eye who is at once very masculine and insecure and vulnerable. In other words, the classic Marlowe type. Jones pulls that off wonderfully, he definitely is a great and versatile actor. I enjoyed his multi layered, „deep" performance enormously. Virginia Madsen is perfect as the elegant, sexy and extremely nasty ghost (great wardrobe!). Completing the triangle is the woman's former husband, played by an actor hitherto unknown to me called Colin Bruce whose performance is excellent and memorable. In fact, Jones and Bruce are an excellent team here, they really made me think of some of the finest original films of the noir genre.Even visually, Gotham offers far more than the average fare. Somehow it reminded me of the work of director Robert Wise. The New York locations are put to good use. The overall atmosphere is consistently somber and brooding. I found it quite appealing. There is an unforgettable scene on the top of a not very high skyscraper somewhere in Manhattan with a good panorama over some older buildings of the area. The makers of the movie made the daring decision to film dream sequences the same way as the rest, so the viewers are never quite sure if what is going on is part of the main protagonist's imagination or real. Some may find that confusing as the method is rather uncommon in today's movie making. I found it gratifying as it gives me the feeling I am being taken seriously as a viewer.They had some nice „directorial ideas" here which are well filmed: Jones gets a glass of eggnog (or some such) thrown in his face. Distraught as he is, he does not wipe the milky liquid off and it frosts immediately. Looks great! The ghost at one time drowns in muddy water in full regalia. Etc, etc.Gotham displays everything it takes for intelligent entertainment. I can highly recommend this movie.

matenmoe Gotham usually gets confused with that city-with-a-comic-book-superhero in it. This is a horrible thing for such a terrific movie. It has nothing to do with that comic book! If you love film noir, and can actually FIND this movie(also known as "The Dead Can't Lie")-probably only on a VHS, then you'll be sorry if you DON'T get it!I love this film because there are so many new things to find each time I watch it. It is a show about a Private Eye who is down on his luck until a man offers him an assignment no one else will take. His job is to find this man's ex-wife, who is continuously stalking him, and try to get her to cease and desist. The problem? She has been dead for 10 years! NO- this isn't some cheesy ghost story,and this is no comedy! It really sucks you in, and leaves you wanting to watch it again. I found Gotham to be an eerie yet believable film which still haunts me every time!!

cbeavin20 Virginia Madsen is up for an Oscar.I remembered her role in the Movie Gotham with Tommy Lee Jones. For those who would like to enter a different reality enjoy! I see that it was a TV movie I recommend this movie for all mature audiences.Tommy Lee Jones was fantastic and you see another side of his acting style. Virginia Madsen carried the movie and does not disappoint!The setting takes place in New York in the night with lighting and sets that are spare and allow the actors to fill the night with their mysterious liaison.If I cannot make the 10 line minimum it would be a shame i don not want to "give" the movie away. The mystery is the movie.I hope someone will see the movie and be able to fill in the needed ten lines to entice others to watch!

doeadear I really enjoy this quirky, sensual film, but even after several viewings, I am still a bit confused about the plot. It's not one of those bizarre films where you shake your head and say "what?", but rather one that keeps you going up and down different alleyways. Tommy Lee Jones is very sexy and perfectly cast as the rough and tumble private eye hired to get a man's dead wife off his trail. But, is the wife really dead? What is fantasy and what is reality? Virginia Madsen is drop dead gorgeous, no pun intended. She and Tommy Lee Jones have a very hot sexual chemistry between them. This is the only movie with the formidable Mr. Jones that I have seen him engaged in a passionate, nude love scene. This alone is worth renting the movie. It's not great, but it's very old-fashioned, gritty film noir, and extremely sexy, and definitely not predictable.