With her corny catchphrases, perky personality and twinkling teeth Suze Ormon is more gameshow host than financial adviser. But even she could tell you the first rule of business: reap more than you sow. Dead simple really.

And yet, despite all the mind games of his brain-bashingly complex film of corporate greed, the clearly intelligent writer-director Tony Gilroy simply forgets it.

Demanding his audience make a significant investment — let him play loop-de-loop with your head — the man behind the intellectually rewarding 'Michael Clayton' ultimately provides little in the way of returns.

After two hours of Julia Roberts and Clive Owen engaging in sort-of-sexy spy games and "I know you think you know I know you know that I think you know" dialogue, the sucky ending is a bit of a letdown.

But as Orman might say: life's a journey, not a destination. And, with Roberts and Owen as company this is one helluva ride.

She is Claire Stenwick, a former CIA operative now working as an industrial spy for a giant pharmaceutical company. He is Ray Koval — similar deal, different company. They're on opposing sides of a bitter business battle between their respective bosses. But they have a past. And he won't let her forget it.

As they tangle their way through the ball-of-string plotline, frustratingly jumping through time and space like characters in 'Lost', it's that history keeping you interested. Don't bother keeping with the plot twists, even though this cerebral, smarty-pants take on 'Mr and Mrs Smith' is preoccupied with emulating those overly complex '70s thrillers.

Instead watch the cheeky Owen, as an old-school womaniser and incorrigible flirt, who could teach 007 a thing or two about bedding beautiful babes. And admire the playful Roberts, who gives her steely spy a surprisingly seductive streak.

Even though Paul Giamatti's roguish CEO — played as an outlandish megalomaniac who might just be under the influence of cocaine — burns far brighter during his short bursts on screen, it's the big-watt superstars who, to turn a phrase, really keep the light from fading until the bitter end.

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