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Very well executed

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Admirable film.

The acting in this movie is really good.

"World's greatest detective" Daryl Arlo has a lot of quirks and rules that make him one of the more unique entries in the offbeat private eye world. With a methodology that demands he keep his distance the raspy voiced, head tilted Zero narrates like a philosophical zombie breaking his own rules along the way. It is a tiresome listen, featuring listless performances, contrived situations and poor pacing that will you have you yawning midway.Zero is hired by wealthy Greg Stark to find out who is blackmailing him. Sparks glosses over possibility and motive forcing Zero and faithful assistant Steve Arlo (Ben Stiller) to dig deeper follow a different tack to get answers. But wouldn't you know it a dame (Kim Dickens) greases up the works for the focused Zero as he ignores one of his hip Holmes axioms "passion is the enemy of precision. Still Zero pulls himself together to tie ends up, but he will never be the same.Listening to Pullman drone on is like listening to chalkboard screeching as he listlessly deduces interminably making it hard to believe he could feel passionate about anything. Stiller's moaning and groaning flunky fares little better especially when going seriously dead pan after some spineless whining. Dickens and O'Neal also chip in medical examiner performances but when was Ryan anything else but flat. Zach Kasdan's direction follow's suit with lackluster composition and sluggish scenes (the gym in particular) that fail to resonate as Kasdan waits for Pullman to gather his off beat approach. If I go on about the six minute phone conversation climax it would be piling on. Suffice to say the title sums Zero Effect succinctly.

The Daryl Zero character is an obvious parody of Sherlock Holmes, with Steve Arlo as an obvious Watson. The eccentric genius worshiped in the 19th century is of course totally insane in a late 20th century setting – the more as 'Watson's bourgeois virtues are accentuated. The plot is heavily based on the Holmes story 'A Scandal in Bohemia'. Actually you can identify most of the film's character from the short story, as well as the main conflicts – though the father-daughter aspect is original. 'Zero Effect' might be seen as an example of 'post-modernism' in film, with the many levels of references to literature, genre and popular culture. Knowledge of the sources of intertextuality makes the film the more enjoyable. If you love the Works of the Coen brothers, chances are you'll love this one too.

This starts off pretty good, gets a little better and then fades in the second half and keeps fading.The twists and revelations in the final minute come too late to save the film. Once the suspense the romance ends, it just doesn't work the rest of the way.All of the characters, except by the one played by Ben Stiller, are either crooked or have no life or no conscience so it was tough for me to like a film that has so many unappealing leads.Bill Pullman's narration was pretty good but there was little else for me to recommend this film.

i really wasn't expecting much out of this movie initially. didn't think a movie about a half whacked detective would be anything out of the ordinary. but the movie turned out to be just the opposite. now it isn't a thriller, but it moves along at a calm steady pace, and at no point does it seem to drag or lose momentum. it brought one small surprise after another in the storyline that kept it entertaining throughout. most unpredictable and thats what i liked about it. i also found the investigations and methods of the detective very interesting. if you've read and enjoyed Sherlock Holmes stories, you're definitely gonna like this film. the acting is convincing, the actors blend into their roles perfectly. and you cant help but immerse yourself in the story after the first few minutes. it was almost like reading a book - very relaxed air about the whole movie that fitted the storyline perfectly. this is something you could definitely watch with the rest of the family and children. left me smiling and happy.