'Killer role': Tea Leoni slays them in new mob satire

By SARA STEWART

June 17, 2007 -- There are some showbiz mysteries we'll just never solve: Why doesn't Donald Trump change his hair? How does Carlos Mencia manage to stay on television? And why on earth don't we see more of Tea Leoni?

She's one of those rare actors who manages to come off well in otherwise blah movies - a skill she relied on in her last two films, "Fun with Dick and Jane" and "Spanglish." She's also been vocal about the lack of quality film work for older women and has been heralded as "redefining" sexiness in your 40s (whatever that means).

In any case, it's nice to see her in a movie worthy of her smarts and comic timing. "You Kill Me" follows Frank (Ben Kingsley), an alcoholic hit man forced to relocate and detox at the behest of his boss. Leoni's character, a chronically underwhelmed sales executive, plays his love interest.

It's easy to see why Leoni would appeal to director John Dahl. Much like Linda Fiorentino in his 1996 noir-comedy "The Last Seduction," she's both sultry and snarky.

Her first meeting with Frank is in the funeral home where he works. She gives him a pair of bowling shoes to put on her stepfather's corpse. When Frank warns her he may have to break the guy's toes to fit them on, she shrugs: "Whatever gets the job done."

"I think, in a lot of ways, this is John doing that pitch-perfect tone from 'Last Seduction,' " Leoni says. "I think some people are afraid of that - like, how do you make it funny, because [these characters] are just so damaged? John, of course, thinks it's funny because they're damaged."

Leoni's also likable because she's not one for false modesty. When asked about the age difference between her and Kingsley - she's 41, he's 63 - she counters, "I think we look quite perfect together, if I do say so myself. I think there's something very sexy about the pairing."

Interestingly, the one guy she doesn't plan to pair up with onscreen with is her husband, David Duchovny.

"I don't see us working together as actors, because . . . I think that's funky. I mean, I don't want to look into David's eyes and say someone else's love lines."

But when she talks about her husband, Leoni sounds as smitten as the day she - to the envy of many a female sci-fi geek - snagged "X Files" special agent Fox Mulder.

"David has such an intriguing and brilliant mind," she says. "It's a great place to play."

We're guessing he'd return the compliment.

Thanks to NY Post!