THE GONE MAN

I know what I want it to be. I want it to be a case. I need a case."" Who needs a case? So-so actor, so-so shamus, smart-alecky Charlie Quinlan needs a case, so he gets a case: locate Jamie Stockton, the druggy, flippy, gay (?) son of TV-commercial-biggie Ethan Stockton. Charlie fly-drives all over L.A. and S.F.--casinos to motels to show-biz offices--and, after getting hurt a lot, finds Jamie. . . dead. Only it isn't Jamie but an actor pretending to be Jamie. My, my. Could this have something to do with Jamie's politically connected brother-in-law or his ex-movie-star Mom-fatale or his highstrung sis as in the Big I? (See above and above.) It's no sweat waiting around to find out, since Charlie's ticktock, movie-minded narrative is broken into 115 quick takes and unlimited quick talk (""And should you have the time, be so kind as to screw yourself"") for easy, Hollywoodized inhalation.