Great elements in isolation (Jake Gyllenhaal's performance, MVP Michael Shannon, Laura Linney's hair, the final shot, and so on) that never quite cohere to make its hollow core, even if by design, resonating enough, although that final shot helps rally up a bit. Must say the matching of the novel's more disturbing passages to the offense(s) in the framing story that initiated the creativity-as-revenge gives me major skeevy. It really would help if we have even a tiny bit of Gyllenhaal's perspective in the present timeframe too, because as is this feels like the film shifts its judgemental attitude, including some real bad implication along with it, onto Amy Adams too much.