MOVIE REVIEW : ‘Hexed’ Takes the Fun Out of Dating a Maniac

“Hexed” (citywide) more than lives up to its title. Cursed with a lack of inspiration from start to finish, this vastly unamusing action-comedy finds director Alan Spencer desperately trying to pump up his stale script at every turn. Once again, you’re left to wonder not only how a studio could justify the expense of releasing “Hexed” but also how the project managed to get a green light in the first place. Direct-to-video would have seemed the logical route for this loser.

A talented young comedian, Arye Gross, who hopefully will survive this debacle, stars as a 30-year-old hotel desk clerk, indulges in reasonably harmless mischief to relieve the boredom of 12 years on the job. Overlooking his pert colleague (Adrienne Shelly, the delectable leading lady of Hal Hartley’s “The Unbelievable Truth” and “Trust”), who adores him, he daydreams about America’s most photographed model of the moment, the sexy and statuesque Hexina (Claudia Christian). When she unexpectedly checks into the hotel, and the desk clerk even more unexpectedly lands a date with her, his life swiftly turns into a nightmare. Hexina, it turns out, is a homicidal maniac intent on dispatching a blackmailer--and anyone else who gets in her way.

There’s no point in further belaboring the hopeless “Hexed” (rated R for sexuality and language), which is itself already so labored.

‘Hexed’

Arye Gross: Matthew Welsh

Claudia Christian: Hexina

Adrienne Shelly: Gloria O’Connor

Norman Fell: Herschel Levine

A Columbia Films presentation of a Price Entertainment/Brillstein-Grey production. Writer-director Alan Spencer. Producers Marc S. Fischer, Louis G. Friedman. Executive producers Bernie Brillstein, Howard Klein. Cinematographer James Chressanthis. Editor Debra McDermott. Costumes Joan S. Thomas. Music Lance Rubin. Production design Brenton Swift. Art director Albert Locatelli. Set designer Mary Finn. Set decorator Sara E. Andres. Sound Michael Haines. Running time: 1 hour, 31 minutes.

MPAA-rated R (for sexuality and language).