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There's so much to admire here: the wonderful performances, the captivating cinematography, the creative subverting of the standard biopic trope. And yet I came away somewhat disappointed.

Part of this is due to the nontraditional approach to a biopic. We don't see much of Bernstein's renowned highlights ("West Side Story" is barely mentioned), and for the biography of a famous musician there's surprisingly little music. All right, I'll go with that.

Call me a traditionalist, but I wanted more of a defined story arc. We see key moments in their lives but I never truly got a sense of what drove Bernstein (or his wife) other than their undeniable love for one another. Also, in many of the scenes I had a hard time following dialogue: lines were spoken on top of one another, rapidly. Yes, I know that's how people talk in real life, but this is a movie that we're supposed to understand.

I will watch this again (with subtitles) to see what I missed, and perhaps I will appreciate it more. Let me state that I mostly liked this (hence my rating) -- but whether it was due to heightened expectations or not, I wanted more.

The previous film version of this Agatha Christie classic was no masterpiece, but it was fun and diverting, the cast a hoot.

Alas, this one takes it several steps backward. Kenneth Branagh is a passable Poirot, but as a director he's a mess. Where is Agatha Christie's wit and humor? This version is way too dreary, very dark and grim. The changes to the story, although intended (I suppose) to simplify it for today's viewers, only make it worse.

The positives? Yes, there are some. The cast is uniformly good, particularly Sophie Okenedo. The production values and cinematography are dazzling, although the constantly moving camerawork is distracting.

The result is: Other than a quick buck, why did they bother? Advice to anyone wishing to remake a film: either do it better or give it up.

Elizabeth McGovern is the reason to see this. She brings to life what, in other hands, could be a cliched character. She has become a much more interesting actress as she's aged; you can't take your eyes off her (those eyes!). The Louise Brooks subplot serves its purpose but seems a bit strained. Blythe Danner, Miranda Otto, Campbell Scott and other familiar names essay their supporting roles well, and the period is recreated nicely. Overall, very entertaining and not nearly as predictable as you would think.