Review

A beguilingly cryptic, haunting psychological thriller. In Robert Altman-style, Egoyan weaves several characters and their stories together as he explores such ominous themes as voyeurism, grief, betrayal and the search for healing, forgiveness and salvation. There is Thomas, a gay pet shop owner involved in illegal importation of exotic bird eggs; Francis (Greenwood), a tax advisor who spends his sullen nights at a strip club called Exotica where he quietly obsesses over one particular dancer, Christina (Kirshner). She, in turn, is involved in a relationship with Zoe, the club owner and object of jealous affection by the violent D.J., Eric (Koteas). Nothing is as it seems as Egoyan stingily offers bits of information to the byzantine connections that thread the characters together. An intelligent, even mesmerizing black comedy, Exotica will entrance those with the patience to consider the complexities of this demanding film.