"Exotica" is another eccentric exercise in weirdness from Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan ("Speaking Parts," "The Adjuster"), who specializes in pretentiousness and oblique plotting.
The title establishment, "Exotica," is a strip-joint where the dancers will perform at your table for an extra $5, so long as you obey the strict look-but-don't-touch rule.
One such dancer is Christina (Mia Kirshner), who begins her performance in schoolgirl clothes. She is the object of ogling by Francis (Bruce Greenwood), a tax auditor who is recovering from a personal tragedy, and she is also the former girlfriend of the club's enigmatic disc jockey (Elias Koteas), who seems obsessed with her still. The DJ is also the father of the soon-to-be-born child of the unmarried club owner. Meanwhile, a secondary plot follows a gay, mild-mannered pet-store owner (Don McKellar) who is also a smuggler of exotic bird eggs. And eventually, all of these stories come together.
The final quarter of the film is quite interesting, as the secrets behind these peoples' stories are finally revealed. But getting there is slow and rather dull process, despite all the nudity in the club setting. The film lacks wit or energy, and by the end, you may not be there anymore.
"Exotica" is rated R for considerable nudity, as well as profanity and violence.