All Intensive Purposes

That play I saw last weekend? The SF Chronicle's drama critic really liked it. I thought the acting was terrific, but that there were problems with Mamet's script, which he adapted from a much longer original play.

I don't disagree with much that the Chronicle's critic says, but he says little about about the resolution of the play's conflict in the second act, doubtless to avoid giving the plot away. (If you don't want to learn plot spoilers, stop reading here.) I had expected to see Edward Voysey corrupted in some fashion once he takes over his father's role and crime, but not so. He charts his course, and sticks to it. One of the beneficiaries finds out, and threatens to expose him. Voysey is resolute, and that is that. Certainly there is conflict between these characters, but it doesn't expose much that we hadn't already seen about them. There is a relatively minor surprise that I won't unveil here, but it is tangential to the plot.

Maybe I'm missing something, and someone will use the comments to enlighten me. I'm a Mamet fan, but wouldn't call this his most compelling effort.