IN THE ELECTRIC MIST —painful indeed to see another failure at adapting to the screen the fabulous ‘Dave Robicheaux’ character from of one of America’s best novelists, James Lee Burke.  Directed at idle-throttle by Bernard Tavernier, it wasn’t released theatrically in the States, had a handful of cable showings and went straight to video in 2009.

Tommy Lee Jones stars, he has the weariness down but is simply too old for the role.  If you haven’t read the book, or any in Burke’s marvelous series, this might be passable, but if you have and expect any of the author’s richness you’ll be keenly disappointed.

117 minutes, with John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard, Mary Steenburgen, Kelly McDonald, Ned Beatty, James Gammon, Taylor Pruitt Vance, Levon Helm, Buddy Guy and John Sayles in a quick bit.  The full title of the 1997 book is “In The Electric Mist With The Confederate Dead.”  Skip the flick and read it instead.