What with his one-liners ("Keep it up? I'm trying to keep it down!") and sight gags (the arms race of giant cleavers with a rival chef) I'd happily watch a whole movie about Cesare, where he globe-trots from restaurant to restaurant like a giddy Italian Gordon Ramsey rehabilitating old-world bistros. Once per act he rolls his eyes over his dumb-ass best friend Paul, a lovestruck dullard, then grabs his knife to make another goddam salad chiffonade and lobster cardinale.

Man,…

It isn't exactly Edgar Wright territory, but it's more visually dextrous and engaged than most mainstream comedies these days -- the use of obvious miniatures to coincide with the game-piece theme is really nice (and props to the special effects team for integrating it smoothly), and there's that one showcase single-take in-house chase scene with the Faberge egg... I found a few spots for hidden cuts but again, it's all done well and with purpose.

Mostly very funny, too, aside…

It's all about the scene in the third act when Ethan and Jim reunite and have a drink together. Jim is trying to convince Ethan that Kittridge is the mole, not knowing Ethan already figured out it was Jim because of the Drake Hotel bible. So Ethan, having the upper hand, narrates a flashback where he pretends to realize how Kittridge did it, all for Jim's benefit -- meanwhile, DePalma's visuals tell a different story: the way Ethan is seeing…