Screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga turns director but the result is disappointing, even with Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger in the leading roles.

Theron plays a restaurant manager with a torrid sex life whose confrontation with a stranger from Mexico catalyses traumatic memories from her past, while Basinger dies in an explosion in a trailer only to return in frequent flashbacks. Arriaga’s far-too-clever playing with time fails to disguise initial confusion and an ultimately trite story is given more dramatic impact than it deserves by attractive cinematography and some good performances. Theron is executive producer so presumably wanted to make the film. It’s hard to see why.