Hard-working cop Matt (Washington) is the police chief of an idyllic little port on America's Florida Keys.

Petty crime and the odd drugs bust are the norm, until an arson attack turns into a double murder probe when two charred corpses are discovered.

However, what should be a routine inquiry for the experienced Banyan Keys cop is complicated by two things.

Firstly, his soon-to-be ex-wife Alex (Mendes) is in charge of homicide and, secondly, one of the victims is his married lover Ann (Lathan).

Carl Franklin has already shown he's an accomplished director of crime thrillers with his impressive debut One False Move.

Here, the raw material errs towards the formulaic but, for the bulk of the movie, builds up a nice atmosphere of tension.

The clever dynamic is that Matt stands to inherit $1m from his dead lover's insurance policy - a pretty clean-cut motive for torching her.

However, into the mix is tossed a situation where he has to track down the perp before his wife - and he's also got the added inconvenience of a persistent drugs cop on his back.

For most of the ride it's pretty classy stuff, with Washington convincing as the increasingly desperate prime suspect forced to act outside the law.

Mendes comes on like a J.Lo with brains (and a little humility) and shows that the promise of Training Day was no fluke.

Solid and workmanlike, it's ideal fare for those who like a challenging murder mystery with an experienced director calling the shots.

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Tim Evans