`Unforgettable': Dahl's First Forgettable Film

----------------------------------------------------------------- Movie review

XX 1/2 "Unforgettable," with Ray Liotta, Linda Fiorentino, David Paymer. Directed by John Dahl, from a script by Bill Geddie. Alderwood, Everett Mall 1-3, Factoria, Gateway, Issaquah 9, Lewis & Clark, Metro, Mountlake 9, Newmark, Oak Tree. "R" - Restricted because of violence, language, brief nudity. -----------------------------------------------------------------

John Dahl's streak has ended. The stylish director who nearly single-handedly brought film noir into the '90s had been improving, significantly, with each passing film ("Kill Me Again," "Red Rock West"). He peaked two years ago with "The Last Seduction" and made a star out of Linda Fiorentino.

His new film passes for entertainment, the kind of movie a non-discriminating filmgoer could stumble upon and have a pretty good time with. It's just not as economical or fun as Dahl's earlier efforts.

Bill Geddie's first script has one whopper of a hook. A college science professor (Fiorentino) has made a breakthrough with memory transfer. When mixed with cerebral spinal fluid, a drug can make the patient feel the impulses of the subject.

The experimental drug is the perfect tool for David Krane (Ray Liotta), a Seattle medical examiner who is compelled to find his wife's killer. When he learns of the serum, he breaks into Professor Briggs' lab and injects himself - despite warnings the drug can

kill him.

When Dahl sticks to the hook, "Unforgettable" works, thanks to another level-headed performance by Liotta. Like Ed Harris, Liotta can deliver mountains of information with just a look.

The question is not whether Krane will find the killer, but whether he'll destroy himself doing so. As he takes more injections, he slowly assumes traits of the victims - their talents and memories.

Even though there's an additional character brought in late in the game, the whodunit of "Unforgettable" becomes, alas, very routine. The red herrings appear in abundance, and some of the actions in the fiery climax are downright laughable. The dependency on quick cuts and flashbacks also wears thin.

Dahl gives us plenty to work with up to that point, though. His crew is made up of professionals he has worked with before, and they deliver on a picture that's quite in sync. Cinematographer Jeffrey Jur contrasts reds and blues to create a bold texture. Eric Beason and Scott Chestnut's editing is highlighted during a dandy foot chase and there's even a notably curious sound design. Dahl uses the urban areas of Vancouver, B.C. quite effectively (only a few establishing shots were made in Seattle).

Many might assume that Fiorentino plays another sexy temptress, as in "Last Seduction" and "Jade." But the introverted doctor is quite the opposite and Fiorentino gives a fine, unflashy performance. There's also good work from Christopher McDonald as a detective, Kim Coates as a thug and from the always dependable David Paymer.

Besides becoming a jumble in the final act, "Unforgettable" embraces a brutality that's surprising to see in a Dahl film. Krane's flashbacks include several point-blank murders, and Dahl's tendency to make them artsy is unfortunate and unneeded.

It all adds up to a near-miss, even with a final scene that comes very close to being special. The director has not a committed a cinematic crime with "Unforgettable." He just makes his first routine movie.