Rating: 
Summary: The exotic locales and its director make it worth watching..
Review: With CITY OF GHOSTS, actor Matt Dillon makes his directorial debut and, before this, I almost forgot how much I actually could like the guy. Other than THERE"S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY and his supporting role in DEUCES WILD I feel like I haven't seen Dillon all that much. CITY OF GHOST S made me actually want to see more of him. He's a talented actor and it really should come as no surprise that he eventually wound up behind the camera after working with such directors as Francis Ford Copolla (THE OUTSIDERS) and Gus Van Sant (DRUGSTORE COWBOY).The film follows Jimmy (Dillon), an amoral insurance scam artist who, when the FBI shows up asking questions, hightails it to Cambodia to hunt for his supervisor, Marvin (James Caan), who may also be his legitimate father. It isn't the story of CITY OF GHOSTS that is remarkable though. It's not that there's anything wrong with the story but, all in all, the film's story is somewhat predictable. Aside from the exotic locales the film doesn't really break any new ground. What is remarkable is Dillon's talent in the director's chair and his ability to capture the picturesque beauty of the film's foreign locales (the film was really shot in Cambodia). That's what makes it such a pleasure to watch. You really feel as if Dillon's character is a stranger in a strange land because he as an actor really is and that keeps you involved with the story throughout, even if the film could have benefited from being trimmed down a good twenty minutes or so shorter. CITY OF GHOSTS also stars Gerard Depardieu (THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK; 1492), Rose Byrne (TWO HANDS; TROY), Natasha McElehone (THE DEVIL'S OWN; SOLARIS), and Stellan Skarsgaard (RONIN; DEEP BLUE SEA). C
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