Minor Lumet, but good for what it is

Not so much a story as a couple of giant ethical dilemmas just barely chiseled into a narrative this black comedy sometimes feels flat, esp. when the jokes don't work or jarringly jam against the serious questions being asked, which is often. Having said that, Spader's great, the film picks up steam as it goes & it's brave & smart enough 2 actually take a stand & share its thoughts (unlike stereotypical art-house question-posers) on extremely gray matters like what it actually means to b good.