I'll be honest I think seven years is quite a short gap to make a film based largely on the tragic death of Meredith Kercher in 2007, I cannot imagine what the families of all concerned must think, the remainder of my review won't in any other way be clouded my opinions on that fact, tasteless though I find the format.

Thomas, a British film maker travels to Siena in Italy, with a view to making a film based on the famous murder several years earlier of Elizabeth, a young student. Elizabeth's friend Jessica and her boyfriend Carlo were arrested for the crime. Thomas meets journalist Simone Ford who offers her advice and help. Jessica was convicted, but a re-trial is set to occur. Thomas begins exploring, he catches site of beautiful young waitress Melanie and forges an acquaintance. Thomas constantly snorts coke, possibly to help him be creative with his script.

I know it's a film, but it is stretching the realms of reality, I cannot believe the Police would be keen to speak to any journalists, it would never happen. Plenty of scenes intended to shock, sex, drugs etc.

The standard of acting is good on the whole, Daniel Brühl is a wonderfully talented actor, there doesn't seem to be a single role he cannot turn his hand to, the material is sadly a bit lacking for his talent. Cara Delevigne I've grown rather fond of based on her first few performances, I think she's proved a few people wrong, the girl is very good, there's just something about her. I am a fan of Kate Beckinsale, but I have to be honest I found her a little anonymous in this film, she didn't stand out. It is always nice to see Sara Stewart.

Some of the imagery really just didn't work, as you get into the film and he starts with the drugs he begins getting some disturbing images, they aren't particularly well realised, none of them work on the whole, the effects are poor.

(For any Doctor who fans, do I hear the Ood singing??) The music doesn't seem to be in tune with the film somehow.

Overall I think it's a disappointing film, the storytelling itself is largely the issue, it just doesn't flow very well, it's disjointed, and the actions of leading man Thomas somehow feel at odds with the character, through no fault of Daniel Brühl, he battled hard with the script. 4/10

Prolific filmmaker Michael Winterbottom takes meta-textual approach of the Amanda Knox murder saga in The Face of an Angel. An American student in Italy has been accused of murdering her English roommate with her Italian boyfriend which has caused a media frenzy. There is a lot of speculation based on circumstantial evidence gathered by incompetent police.

Thomas (Daniel Brühl) a filmmaker on a downward spiral both professionally and in his personal life is sent to Siena, Italy to observe the trial as material for a true life crime thriller. He is aided by a Rome based American journalist Simone (Kate Beckinsale) who provides him with expert background information.

Thomas also meets another international student who also works as a bartender, Melanie (Cara Delevingne) who shows him the sordid side of Siena. They go to parties, score drugs and he has visions fuelled by this messy, fuzzy life as well as his interest in Dante's The Divine Comedy.

Whereas other tabloid journalists are just interested in sex and sleaze as a route to make money rather then finding out the truth of this murder case, Thomas wants to develop a script for a medieval morality play.

The film starts off interestingly enough, Thomas is the stranger in town intending to do the victim justice rather than chase a meal ticket but the film gets less involving as the character of Thomas gets lost in Siena. Winterbottom might be too self righteous here about the media but the film still arouses curiosity.

Thomas (Daniel Brühl) is a film maker in Siena, Italy covering something that looks like the Amanda Knox story. It is almost a film within a film as the film Thomas wants to make has similarities to the one we are watching. Siena is filled with reporters with all kind of spousal issues, Thomas is using a book "The Face of an Angel" written by a journalist (Kate Beckinsale) who also has an angel face. His daughter (Ava Acres) has an angel face as does the waitress (Cara Delevingne) who aides Thomas. Thomas even tells us they changed the names.

Thomas relates the angel face with the victim (Sai Bennett) while everyone one else in the world associates it with the accused (Genevieve Gaunt). Thomas wants to make the film as a parallel to Dante's Divine Comedy. So unless you are heavy into the metaphor and symbolism, the film is boring. If you are into it, you will realize he missed the mark and it is just somewhat boring. It comes across as pseudo philosophical with lines like, "Look death in the face to understand life." I had to laugh as I thought of Warhol's famous line, "To know death Otto,...."

And remember, the book had two endings, like the Amanda Knox trial.

Guide: F-bomb, sex, nudity (Rosie Fellner)