'Nobel Son' review

Eliza Dushku and Bryan Greenberg (Credit: Freestyle)

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When obnoxious college professor Eli Michaelson (Alan Rickman) is awarded a Nobel prize neither his wife Sarah (Mary Steenburgen) or his son Barkley (Bryan Greenberg) are particularly happy for him. But it's soon Barkley who's in the spotlight when he's kidnapped and held for ransom by deranged thug Thaddeus James (Shawn Hatosy), who has a secret connection to Eli.

The buzz: Director Randall Miller, writer Jody Savin and several cast members of their genteel wine competition indie "Bottle Shock" (including Rickman, Bill Pullman and Eliza Dushku) collaborate on a very different story (which was actually filmed just prior to “Bottle Shock”). In the film’s press notes, Miller reveals “Nobel Son” came from his desire to craft “110 minutes of unadulterated wicked fun.”

The verdict: Rickman once again demonstrates his ease with playing a charming prick and Steenburgen steps up nicely in a meatier role than she’s usually offered, but oh boy does this movie have problems. From its wall-to-wall electronica score to the blandly executed sex scenes, “Nobel Son” is all effort and no finesse. Miller keeps things moving fast enough, but he needs a few more viewings of “Wild Things” or the films of Paul Verhoeven to figure out how this kind of trashy fun can actually work.

Did you know? Miller and Savin are a husband and wife team who have produced three indie productions together, but Miller started out directing studio vehicles for Kid ‘n Play (“Class Act”), Sinbad (“Houseguest”) and Marlon Wayans (“The Sixth Man”).

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