Heavy hang the themes permeating Nadia Latif’s adaptation of Walter Mosley’s 2004 novel. Unlike the crime fiction that has proven so popular for the author, The Man in the Basement , while possessing some thriller-ish aspects, is more a book of ideas. Too many ideas, probably, since the fairly simple storylines touch on such themes as power dynamics, race relations, colonialism, guilt, redemption and more.

The film, co-written by Mosley and Latif, the latter making her feature directorial debut, faces the nearly impossible task of making all these ideas coherent — and only partially succeeds. But thanks to its powerful atmospherics and superb performances by its two leads Corey Hawkins and Willem Dafoe , the film should appeal to viewers looking for more intellectual fare upon its

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