The movie wouldn’t have worked without strong performances on all the leads, going from Jolene Blalock as the beleaguered ADA, Ray Liotta as her boss, trying to protect her and help her, Mekhi Phifer as the victim in question, LL Cool J (listed in the cast under his real name) as the victim’s friend, Taye Diggs as someone with possible information and our favorite (for devout Whedonites, at least) British import, Chiwetel Ejiofor as a Vanity Fair reporter doing a profile on Liotta’s character.

Watch carefully – again, all that glitters is not gold, appearances can be deceiving and not everything is what it seems to be… or is it?

Slow Burn – Starring Ray Liotta, Jolene Blalock, Mekhi Phifer, LL Cool J, Chiwetel Ejiofor. Thriller, Rated R, 93 minutes. In theaters now.

Rating: 3 “grr-argh” monsters out of 5.