Brendan Frasier did a horrible job.

Watch early on when he gets in the fight with the waitress in the parking lot. The acting is laughable and ruined the movie from then on. Frasier sounded like a 10 year old doing a school play. Granted it was poorly written as well, but that take was just unacceptable. While it never gets quite so bad again, another moment where Frasier completely fails to sell the emotion is when he snaps at Whale and calls him a fairy. The lines are badly delivered and throughout the movie he jumps awkwardly from one mood to another; no fluidity, no characterization, no acting even. Its just Brendan Frasier.

The writing was no treat either. Clayton Boone was a non-character. His actions are so predictable. After an uncomfortable conversation with Whale, Boone must return to the bar and reassert his manhood. Cut to cliche standing sex scene, three pumps, cut, cigarette. This was total amateur work. In the final scene the angle of the water is so obviously a hose that it doesn't for an instant look like rain. The only saving grace in this film was watching Ian McKellen perform, as he is, quite clearly, a fabulous actor. Oh, and Lynn Redgrave was lovely as Hanna.

Please watch it again with a critical eye and look at the parts I mentioned before leaping to the defense. This was certainly not the best picture of the year.