The Mysteries of Pittsburgh

Poor adaptation of Michael Chabon's 1988 debut novel that takes considerable liberties with the story, making it conventional and dull. Wishy-washy Art Bechstein (Foster) prefers a less criminal life than going to work for his mobster father Joe (Nolte), so he decides to remain in Pittsburgh after college graduation in order to study for his stockbroker's exam (film is set in the '80s). He gets a job working at a bookstore, where his manager Phlox (Suvari) uses Art for sex, and then meets aspiring musician Jane (Miller) at a party. She is already involved with bad boy Cleveland (Sarsgaard), who befriends Art who is then drawn into Cleveland's gambling problems and criminal activities.