Despite its Great Cast, The Walker is Lackluster

In The Walker, Woody Harrelson plays the role of Carter Page III. Carter is a well-groomed member of a Virginia political family. One day a week he works as a real estate agent while the rest of his week is spent as an escort to the aging matriarchs of Washington D.C. When Carter agrees to protect one of his ladies from becoming a murder suspect, he finds his world rapidly closing in around him. Will performances from the likes of Lauren Bacall, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ned Beatty and Harrelson hold this film together, or is the plot just too much for moviegoers?

Harrelson stars as the gay Carter Page III, the perfectly mannered and impeccably dressed product of a well respected Virginia political family. He spends most of his time as an unpaid escort and companion to the likes of Natalie Van Miter (Bacall), Abigail Delorean (Lily Tomlin) and Lynn Lockner (Thomas), all of whom are wives of powerful Washington political movers. His lover, Emek is a tabloid photographer who dreams of becoming a respected gallery photographer. Page is charming, witty and adored by everyone in his circle.

When he escorts one of his ladies, Lynn Lockner, to a rendezvous with her lover, only to find he's been murdered, Carter agrees to call the police and keep her name out of it to protect her. His world begins to crumble when he becomes the prime suspect in the dead man's murder. His closest friends turn from him and he finds himself alone, except for Emek. In an effort to exonerate himself, Carter and Emek begin to investigate the dead lover. Its here they discover the dead man's connections to shady deals with many of Carter's female companions and their husbands.

On the surface, this film has all the makings of a classic. It's full of terrific actors doing some of their finest work. Backdrops and scenery are glamorous and showy, yet there is an unmistakable something missing from this movie. Underneath the veneer of polish lies a piece of work that somehow missed the mark of greatness and lies in the realm of just OK. The movie doesn't have a lot of high points or exciting moments. There are a few clever moments in the writing but not enough to keep any momentum. The plot is slow and steady but doesn't drum up any enthusiasm in its audience. This low-budget drama is a decent movie to watch on video, but probably not worth the effort of the big screen.