This film of the best-selling Martin Amis novel will annoy anyone who read and loved the original and confuse newcomers to it, who will only be mystified by the novel's cult status. Dexter Fletcher treads water as the film's hero, Charles Highway, a precocious 19-year-old who embarks on a steamy affair with a beautiful American girl (Ione Skye), tires of her and ends up single again. End of story. End of film. At the final reckoning, Fletcher is too self-conscious in the role (especially given his endless monologues to camera) and first-time director/screenplay-adaptor Damian (son of Richard) Harris can't decide whether his characters belong in the swinging Sixties or in 1989. Skye, on the other hand, gives such a sensual, glowing performance, that you can't understand why Charles grows bored with her. A lost opportunity in more ways than one.

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