Based on the true-life story of Bob Crane, star of the popular sitcom Hogan's Heroes. His beginning as a dedicated family man with a photography hobby morphs into a sub-existence of sex addiction and pornography. Culminating with his still unsolved murder in 1978.

There is an interesting story to be told here. Greg Kinnear and Willem Dafoe do their part for the storytelling by both giving respectable performances. Defoe's portrayal of Crane's sidekick and suspected killer, John Carpenter is another in a long list of fearless performances by the actor.

While not a total failure, the script is not layered enough. Its linear manner and poor secondary characters does not allow for an all-encompassing look at Crane. The dialogue and Kinnear's keen performance give us a glimpse into Crane's personal plight, but external factors leaning on him are less so defined.

Auto Focus was ignored at the box office and other critics were split; I'm going to recommend the film but take more of a middle road in doing so.

Directed by Paul Schrader.