Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

What’s most frustrating about “Portrait” are the sequences where the sensationalism goes too far, not because the content becomes too extreme but because it conflicts with the established intelligence of the characters. The climax is nightmarish and effective but getting there requires someone to make several bold miscalculations and it isn’t hard to imagine a better rewrite that wouldn’t have stressed the budget and arrived at the same place. It’s also frustrating because the rest of “Serial Killer” shows off nigh-boundless craft, from the minimalist but effective cinematography to Rooker’s haunting performance at the title character. Just short of greatness.

7