After their 2001 breakthrough The Deep End, a decent psychological thriller with relatively few thrills, co-directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel have created a family-in-crisis drama in which nothing dramatic happens.

It covers similar ground to the excellent documentary Spellbound but, being a work of fiction, adds a couple of unlikely subplots and fails to pack the same authentic emotional punch.

In his theology lectures, Saul Naumann (Gere) preaches the power of words. Yet communication is not his strong point at home where he is, inadvertently, an overbearing bore. He talks at his family, not with them.

Daughter Eliza (promising newcomer Flora Cross) has to win her school spelling bee before Saul recognises her gift, at which point he drops everything to lead her to the state finals.

He is convinced that Eliza's etymological talent gives her a direct line to God and begins feverishly teaching her the ways of Kabbalah (the mystical side of Judaism). And all because she can visualise the word 'dandelion'!

Teenage son Aaron (Max Minghella, son of Cold Mountain director Anthony) finds solace in the form of a Hare Krishna hottie (Kate Bosworth) because he isn't getting much attention. Poor lamb.

Meanwhile, mum Miriam (Binoche) is behaving very weirdly, but nobody notices amidst all the religious blather, wordplay and chanting.

Screenwriter Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal has raised two fine actors (Maggie and Jake) and earned an Oscar nomination (for Running On Empty), so surely it wasn't beyond her to look up the words 'trite', 'meandering' and 'unresolved'?

Read a dictionary instead - the plot's more entertaining and it allows one to assert that a plethora of incongruous musical crescendos coupled with a few kaleidoscopic diversions and a modicum of CG prestidigitation cannot ameliorate the debilitating ennui instilled by this interminable movie.

Elliott Noble