Put simply, its got quite a pedigree.
The plotting all but demands comparisons to Patricia Highsmith; the sweaty, paranoid atmosphere screams Hitchcock.
This isnt to sayTangerineis at the level of those masters.
Ecco
Its deliberately evocative of them.
And once that initial intrigue wears off, Mangans touch loses its luster rather quickly.
Her style feels more imitative than original, a dispiriting reminder of what more daring storytellers could do here.
What Mangan has done quite well is lay the foundation for a better movie.
The book is undeniably readable, even at its clunkiest, and some of its scenes are vividly imagined.
One flashback involving Alice, Lucy, and a bracelet should make for an indelibly unsettling screen moment.
If only it were as good on the page.C+
