Film maker Steven Soderbergh took independent film to a new level with 1989's brilliant Sex Lies and Videotape. Since then, he's made some absolutely terrific films (King of the Hill, Kafka, and The Underneath) that haven't seemed to find an audience. Last year, he had a breakthrough with his adaptation of Elmore Leonard's Out of Sight. Many, myself included, declared it one of the very best films of the year, but it too received a lukewarm audience reception.

Now, Soderbergh returns with The Limey, a gritty, ambitious crime story that incorporates some of the technical gimmicks used in Out of Sight.

Terrance Stamp stars as the title character, an aging thief who's just been released from prison and seeks vengeance for his daughter's death.

The Limey is fairly low budget, and Soderbergh uses some interesting and original tricks to keep this simple story from slipping into normalcy. Clearly, it's Stamp that makes the film work. You may recognize him from Superman 2 in which he played the villainous General Zod. Here, he commands the screen as a father that seeks justice, and the father/ daughter angle of this film is what works best.

Also turning in good performances are Luis Guzman (Boogie Nights), Lesley Ann Warren (Clue), and Peter Fonda (Ulee's Gold). Ultimately, The Limey is an inventive film with a stunning performance from Stamp, but it lacks the heart and drive of Soderbergh's earlier films. It's a good film but not a great one!