Style over substance. That's the three-word version of this review of the new thriller "November," starring erstwhile "Friends" star Courteney Cox and directed by Greg Harrison.

Dark and completely gloomy, "November" is painted in shadows and is laced with a deliciously dread undercurrent that befits the story of Sophie Jacobs, a college photography teacher whose live-in boyfriend Hugh (James LeGros) is murdered at the corner grocery while fetching her some snacks on Nov. 7.

Lew Baldwin's music is eerie and the photography (reportedly shot on digital video for a mere $150,000) is alluring. Sporadically sonic booms shatter the creepy silence. Harrison clearly has no trouble with the technical aspects of movie-making.

Despite some skepticism about her skills, Cox also holds her own as a grief-ridden girlfriend. So, the problem doesn't lie with her. No, what sinks "November" are its own attempts at cleverness.

The script -- written by Benjamin Brand -- is sliced into three parts, each named for a stage in the grieving process and each showing a different take on the events of the night of Nov. 7. We watch as she waits in the car in "denial" and then we see her in the shop as a witness in "despair." When we get to acceptance we don't know what to believe.

Was Sophie having an affair and feels guilty now that her boyfriend is dead? Is someone after her or just toying with her? Is one of her students involved? Is she going mad? Is she more involved that she has let on?

All the while Sophie is talking to Officer Roberts (Nick Offerman), who is investigation the homicide, and to a psychiatrist (Nora Dunn), who is trying to sort out the source of Sophie's debilitating headaches.

If they're not outstanding, all of the performances are at least good enough, especially because Harrison doesn't appear to be aiming at painting detailed character studies. Instead he's setting an expressionist, often surreal, mood and mixing up the pieces of a cinematic jigsaw puzzle so we can sort them out and put them back together.

In those efforts, he has succeeded. However, without characters and some solid clues to latch onto, viewers may just abandon the puzzle altogether and seek satisfaction elsewhere.

"November" opens Friday, Sept. 9 at Landmark's Downer Theatre.