For a film whose title promises passion, the dark, dreary thriller offers next to none.

Not even Bill Murray can make writer/director Mitch Glazer's story take fire: Lily (Megan Fox) is an angel — well, she has wings, at least, which puts her on display at a freak show like a stripper in a peep show. Nate wants to save her from All This, but crime boss Happy Shannon (Murray, channeling a bit of his "Mad Dog and Glory" menace) wants to own her.

Making his helming debut, Glazer (who co-wrote the underrated "Scrooged," but also the very painful "Three of Hearts") overestimates his powers, aiming for the metaphorical as if to grant a blah story some deep meaning — a mistake of too many first-timers. Another: overdosing on irony, like the miserable gangster being named Happy. Yeah, we get it.

If anyone does give "Passion Play" a try, they'll at least see Fox doing her best work in her short career. That's not saying much, when all she's ever been asked to do is arch her back, stick out her chest, and run from robots, but it's something. —Rod Lott

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