Commandments

REVIEW
An ambitious but misguided quasireligious comedy-drama, Commandments features the underrated Quinn as an emotionally troubled physician who attempts to come to terms with his life after facing a series of traumatic experiences. Losing his wife, job, house and even his dog, Quinn tries to commit suicide, but even that doesn't work out. He lands in a hospital where he recounts his mess-of-a-life and decides the only retribution for his problems is breaking all ten commandments. These elements are certainly enough for an interesting film, and Commandments is for a while. Eventually, however, first-time director Taplitz (who also scripted) has trouble juggling all of the elements; resulting in a muddle-of-a-movie. He never finds a proper tone, and the film veers from brooding to cynical to mystical to light-hearted. Intriguing premise, game cast, but it just doesn't come together.