**_Convoluted crime drama in the wake of Pulp Fiction_** Two low-life criminals (Ryan Phillippe & Benicio Del Toro) kidnap a pregnant surrogate (Juliette Lewis) of a rich couple who, unknowingly, has ties to the mob. "The Way of the Gun" (2000) is an offbeat flick in the tradition of "Pulp Fiction" written & directed by a proven screenwriter and featuring a quality cast, which includes James Caan. It's touted as a "modern Western" with two protagonists patterned after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (their names in the film are the last names of Butch & Sundance). It starts out as a black comedy with cussing every other word, but then morphs into a serious crime drama with flashes of gunplay. The score is notable. Two issues hinder the film: (1) A plot that becomes convoluted and therefore increasingly unbelievable, and (2) unlikable characters, except for maybe the surrogate. Concerning the second issue, I understand the concept of antiheroes, but even antiheroes require some redeemable or universally human qualities to make the audience root for them or care about them. Wolverine and Clint Eastwood's Western characters, like Josey Wales, are good examples, as are the antiheroes in films like "Runaway Train" and "Apocalypse Now," two cinematic masterpieces. These two points naturally create disinterest and tempt the viewer to tune out. The first time I watched it I gave up by the 90-minute mark with a half hour to go, I could care less about the characters, their story or how it turned out, even though I tried. On my second viewing, I decided to pay closer attention and stick with the movie till the end. I'm glad I did because this is a well-written examination of crime & violence and the fools involved. An attempt is made to flesh-out all the main characters and I'm talking no less than nine people, each of whom are a piece of the interlocking puzzle, often with their own agenda. While it's no where near great like the seminal "Pulp Fiction," it has style and glimmerings of depth. If you can get past the convoluted story and unlikable characters, it certainly has its points of interest, like well-scripted dialogues and Del Toro's towering performance, not to mention Taye Diggs's interesting heavy. The film was shot in Utah in the Salt Lake City area. GRADE: B-
An aging gangster, Fernand Naudin is hoping for a quiet retirement when he suddenly inherits a fortune from an old friend, a former gangster supremo known as the Mexican. If he is ambivalent about his new found wealth, Fernand is positively nonplussed to discover that he has also inherited his benefactor’s daughter, Patricia. Unfortunately, not only does Fernand have to put up with the thoroughly modern Patricia and her nauseating boyfriend, but he also had to contend with the Mexican’s trigger-happy former employees, who are determined to make a claim.
Movie Star Rating : 7.8 Read More
A devious femme fatale steals her husband’s drug money and hides out in a small town where she meets the perfect dupe for her next scheme.
Movie Star Rating : 6.8 Read More
Doc, who has just moved to Cannery Row, realizes that the only entertainment is the brothel. There he meets the spunky Suzy and they fall in love, giving them both a renewed chance at life.
Movie Star Rating : 6 Read More
An arrogant reporter exploits a story about a man trapped in a cave to revitalize his career.
Movie Star Rating : 7.9 Read More
Hoping to put to rest years of unease concerning a past case, retired criminal investigator Benjamín begins writing a novel based on the unsolved mystery of a newlywed’s rape and murder. With the help of a former colleague, judge Irene, he attempts to make sense of the past.
Movie Star Rating : 8 Read More
Dr. Socrates gave up his brilliant career as surgeon in a prominent hospital because his betrothed died under his knife. He is now a struggling doctor in a small town that has a gangster's hideout.
Movie Star Rating : 6.2 Read More
A desert bandit leader robs a jeep and hauls off a lot of American money. He doesn't get much of a chance to enjoy it, however, because he and his men are soon attacked by a "phantom", who kills all his men, and steals his weapons. When a beautiful young woman shows up in search of the money, she is raped by the phantom. When another man shows up the three of them decide to head into the desert to find the "treasure" and wind up finding something they weren't expecting.
Movie Star Rating : 3.3 Read More
Boyz n the Hood is the popular and successful film and social criticism from John Singleton about the conditions in South Central Los Angeles where teenagers are involved in gun fights and drug dealing on a daily basis.
Movie Star Rating : 7.6 Read More
A man wanders out of the desert not knowing who he is. His brother finds him, and helps to pull his memory back of the life he led before he walked out on his family and disappeared four years earlier.
Movie Star Rating : 8.1 Read More
Jeff Bailey seems to be a mundane gas station owner in remote Bridgeport, California. He is dating local girl Ann Miller and lives a quiet life. But Jeff has a secret past, and when a mysterious stranger arrives in town, Jeff is forced to return to the dark world he had tried to escape.
Movie Star Rating : 7.6 Read More
Diamonds are stolen only to be sold again in the international market. James Bond infiltrates a smuggling mission to find out who's guilty. The mission takes him to Las Vegas where Bond meets his archenemy Blofeld.
Movie Star Rating : 6.4 Read More
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