This sinister, atmospheric mob drama, shot in all sepia and shadows, is hampered by too many scenes of Acting 101, in which characters shout empty, accusatory lines without conviction while director Edward Burns' peripatetic camera jumps around the room as if shooting a hip car commercial. Still, there is much going for Ash Wednesday, including David Shire's moody piano score, a vivid sense of suspense, a palpable rhythm, and excellent secondary characters. And it's to Burns' credit that the story and characters are so compelling that the ash crosses on the major characters' foreheads for the duration never seem silly. (And neither does Oliver Platt, cast against type as a villain; he's truly a menacing presence.) This is Burns' fifth and most mature feature film, and despite its few flaws, even his most casual fans won't mind going along for the ride.