REAL PERSON Crime writer James Ellroy

PLAYED BY David Duchovny

THE DISH Based on the book of the same name by ''L.A. Confidential'' author Ellroy, the film follows the writer's search for the man who brutally murdered his mother in 1958. Delving into the case more than 30 years later forces Ellroy to analyze his own crime fixation, his lengthy downhill slide, and his difficult childhood.

THE REALITY Those looking for a tidy crime-story ending will be disappointed: Even with retired homicide detective Bill Stoner aiding in the search, the investigation resulted in a dead-end.

WHAT YOU WON'T SEE Ellroy's gung-ho attitude isn't restricted to hunting bad guys. ''He [jokingly] offered to bribe someone to admit to the murder just to get some publicity [for the movie],'' producer-director Robert Greenwald says, with a laugh. ''But we didn't take him up on it.''

WHAT MAKES THE CUT Just like Ellroy's books, this story has its share of tough talk. In one scene in an early version of the script, Ellroy's dad teaches his young son a new name for his mother: hairy bitch whore.

You Might Also Like

• News Summary Ewan McGregor disses ''Star Wars: Episode I'' | Gary Susman
• Movie News What's missing from 'The X-Files'
• Summer Movie Q&A Chris Carter's 'X-Files' secrets | Clark Collis
• Monitor Monitor | Kate Ward
• Monitor Monitor | Simon Vozick-Levinson