Shades (1999) - The A.V. Club

Cast

Mickey Rourke (Paul S. Sullivan)Gene Bervoets (Max Vogel)Andrew Howard (Dylan Cole)Mireille Leveque (Michelle Miller)Jan Decleir (Freddy Lebecq)Mike Verdrengh (Harry Koning)Hilde Van Mieghem (Cathy)Tom Van Bauwel (Mark Vandenbroeck)Rudolf Segers (Crazy Mike)Koen De Bouw (Bob)Luk D'Heu (Van Riet)Filip Peeters (Weber)Sally-Jane Van Hoorenbeeck (Lily)Gert Lahousse (Peter)Tine Reymer (Bianca)Marilou Mermans (Shopkeeper)Vic de Wachter (Prosecution)Gert Portael (Night porter)

Director

Erik Van Looy

Synopsis

Shades is a film about (imaginary) Belgian serial killer Freddy Lebecq which producer Max Vogel, a former lawyer, is determined to make into an internationally co-produced, relatively big budget-production Hollywood style, with a director from the States. To that end he cuts deals with and often behind the backs of just about everybody, including Lebeq -who has the book rights-, his lawyer who hopes to use proceeds donated to the relatives to facilitate early release, even the victims, always trying to get the media circus to yield priceless publicity. However not only the lead actor proves a loose canon, even Lebecq ends up killing his lawyer and escaping, when he believes the movie is hurting his case ...