It’s high time Linney had a film to herself (You Can Count On Me) to show us
she’s more than just a coldly brilliant character actress. That said,
the monsters behind her immaculate smile in The Truman Show and The
House Of Mirth gave a harder, creepier dimension to both those movies.
Even sparring with Richard Gere in Primal Fear’s courtroom she was on to
something: sceptical, acerbic and unconvinced by the convolutions of
the plot. She’s best at being harsh – so much so that the earlier
performances have left a shadow of heartlessness on her which may be
slow to wear off.
