A strong, dark social thriller from Paul Schrader, writer of Taxi Driver.

The environment is redolent of Raymond Chandler, while the constant nighttime scenes of Richard Gere driving around poor and rich areas of a coastal city to grating, doomy music (by Giorgio Moroder) remind us that we're not that far removed from Taxi Driver itself.

Gere's 'hero' is the all-American hustler made good: he pleases rich women for rich rewards.

Where he comes unstuck - in a typical Schrader touch - is in accepting an 'unusual' assignment, one that leads to his being framed for murder.

Although the film rather loses its grip in the last two reels, this is, on the whole, an impressive piece of work.

Gere copes quite well with a difficult role even if his dialogue is sometimes a bit difficult to hear.