1998 / Jake Kasdan > Two things that this film brings to the forefront: Bill Pullman is underrated, and Ben Stiller needs better scripts. The whole neurotic, private detective role is played to the pin here by Pullman, one that he obviously embraced quite a bit more than the President of the United States (i.e., Independence Day). As for Stiller, I still miss his foray into films such as Permanent Midnight, which lacked the slapstick and had considerably more heart (and a little bit of darkness).

As entertainment, Zero Effect is a fairly good example of how a film can hold your hand but still not patronize you. The detective’s Doogie Howser-like journal entries keeps you in the game, yet keeps the modern-day noir feel in check. I imagine this is a film that has largely been ignored at the rental stores, but it’s one that is definitely worth a shot. It probably won’t hold up against your Vertigo, but then again, there isn’t much that will.