Lurid and labyrinthian, the tale is aptly set in modern-day New Orleans, where a small time band of perps sets out to kidnap a wealthy computer mogul (Greg Wise). The venture criminals in this tawdry case include sex-crazed lovers Junior (Simon Baker-Denny) and Coco (Carla Gugino), a freaky techie, Lizard (Gil Bellows), and a hotheaded strong-arm named Rugen (Til Schweiger). During the crime in which they bag-and-gag their victim, there's a snag: Coco shoots a woman who appears unexpectedly at the scene. Unfortunately, for our gang of four, the woman that Coco has plugged happens to be the wife of a U.S. senator. The heat, locals and feds, is on.

For the locals, there's reluctant detective Friedman (Alan Rickman), and for the feds, there's eat-nails-for-breakfast agent Hawkins (Emma Thompson).

As expected, cooperation between federal and local is not without its burrs, but in this squalid case the duo seem to be cut out of the same cloth: Both are insomniacs, both are Thompson aficionados and both are living alone, not contentedly. In short, they're attracted to each other, though neither one will openly admit it. They banter, each winning points and, all the while, winning each other's admiration.

Writer-director Sebastian Gutierrez has carved out a bright and inventive piece of genre fare, a lethal noir thriller with all the complexity, ambiguity and amorality of a down-and-dirty pulper. It's a dicey tale, combustively intercut between youthful criminals and the middle-aged lawfolk.

On the criminal side, all things sizzle, while on the enforcement side, we see they tend to percolate. Gutierrez has created credible characters, from crazies to cruddies. Admittedly, we sorts who have come to fritter away too much time wading through noir writers will spot the ultimate baddest guy right off. Still, Gutierrez's take on noir is juicy and jagged -- highly entertaining and involving.

The performances are dead-on, beginning with Rickman, whose weary-alchy turn as the detective is perfectly weathered. With her hot Southern twang, Thompson steps out of her carriage onto the mean streets with spicy aplomb.

On the bad side, Gugino is outstanding as the small-town girl with steamy ambitions, and Baker-Denny is as well as her manic mentor. As Lizard, Bellows is appropriately slithery, while Schweiger's hair-trigger turn is postively chilling.

Supporting cast peformances are superb, most prominently the one from Hal Holbrook, who shows iciness one wouldn't expect. Philip Baker Hall sends shivers into us with his moment as a well-connected goombah.