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There are a number of films that fail to succeed at the box office, but eventually gain a large cult following on video/DVD. Underrated, undervalued and under-appreciated, the somewhat unfortunately titled Zero Effect was ranked as one of the "Top Overlooked Films of the '90s" by The Online Film Critics Society. The UK movie magazine Total Film ranked it as one of their "20 Greatest Films You’ve Never Seen… But Should." Part of that is down to the film not even being available to buy in the UK. In fact, it didn’t make it to a lot of countries.

Considered the best private detective, Daryl Zero (Pullman) is a geeky recluse who never steps outside unless he’s working. When we first see him he looks like a spoilt man child who’s just come back from a failed audition attempt for Ace Ventura. Never meeting his clients, he liases with them through his front man, Steve Arlo (Stiller), who is becoming rather incensed with Zero’s general way of working. Zero’s latest job involves him being hired by businessman Gregory Stark, who would like Zero to find his missing keys. From there, this simple task leads to blackmail, revenge, murder and a paramedic by the name of Gloria (Dickens).

Writer and director Jake Kasdan (son of Lawrence Kasdan) was only 23 at the time of filming his directorial debut, considered a modern day update of the Sherlock Holmes story, A Scandal In Bohemia. Zero can solve cases with ease, but his scruffy dress sense, social awkwardness (his partner Steve says he’s never even kissed a girl) and drug use (he’s addicted to amphetamines) places him as the obvious Holmes. Likewise, his frontman Steve comes across as Watson, while Gloria represents Irene Adler, the paramedic whom Zero describes as, “the worthiest opponent and the greatest ally.”

I wouldn’t have expected Pullman to pull off such a zany role, and upon first seeing him, he just looks ridiculous. As the film progresses, we learn that Zero is more than just a one note character. In describing the ability to blend in, Zero says, “See how all the ordinary people around you are behaving… and try to behave like one of them.” Realizing he’s not ordinary himself, he’s challenged to change his appearance when working.

Zero’s methods don’t always make sense. At one point he and Steve are having a conversation with each other over payphones at an airport (because two guys talking at the airport is “a little fishy”). Later they’re both in public watching Stark get to his car, while Zero explains the progress he’s made. What is clever is Pullman’s slow delivery of the dialogue, because Zero is constantly thinking, even while he’s talking, and especially when he’s with Gloria.

The scenes between Pullman and Dickens are excellent, sharing tense moments as they read each other, wondering if one has the other figured out. Some of their serious conversations are played with no background music whatsoever (as they talk in the diner, it is unnaturally silent), which heightens the totally unexpected romantic tension.

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