Con Games

Move over, Vin Diesel. Get lost, The Rock. My new favorite action star is Tommy Lee Thomas. Clearly he studied a lot of Clint Eastwood films and he mastered the legendary star's steely-eyed squint and sparse line deliveries. He also seems to have studied numerous fitness magazines, as half of the film finds him running about shirtless (and looking like a million bucks). But he also co-wrote the screenplay and clearly possesses a sense of eccentric humor -- at one point, he and another inmate are engaged in an intense session of Go (the ancient Japanese strategy game) while later in his torture is prefixed with a strange debate that has him advocating "Terminator 2" in favor of Eric Roberts' beloved "Lethal Weapon." This film is very diverting and highly watchable.

2001 wasn't perhaps Eric Roberts best year. Both Raptor and this came out. Watched Raptor a while ago and really thought it sucked and being Erics worst. But that had it´s share moment of fun and D-standard. This one doesn't have a thing.

Tommy Lee Thomas is the name of the probably worst actor in these days. The story lacks any punch and the whole thing feels even slower than a snail breaking in curves.

The two thing that stands out are Martin Kove and Eric Roberts. You could argue about their effort being good or what but compared to the rest they are above all criticism.

I say thank you Roberts see you next time (and hopefully a better one).

Enjoy the opening credits. They're the best thing about this second-rate but inoffensive time-killer which features passable performances from the likes of Eric Roberts and Martin Kove. The main part, however, goes to newcomer Tommy Lee Thomas who looks a bit diminutive for this kind of action but who, nevertheless, occasionally manages to project a banty-rooster kind of belligerence. The first time we see him he's bare-chested, sweaty, and engaged in that favorite "beefcake" activity -- chopping wood. After this he has seven more scenes without his shirt including one in which he's hanged by his wrists and zapped with electricity a la Mel Gibson in "Lethal Weapon." He could use a better script, however, since the manner in which he exposes the truth about corruption and violence inside the prison is never very convincing. There's also talk about millions of dollars which apparently is tied in with this investigation but which is never explained. There are a few pluses, though. Sending "John Woodrow" undercover as "John Wilson" is an amusing play on a presidential name, and co-star Jody (Ross) Nolan shows promise as an inmate who, early in the proceedings, is shown hanged by his wrists and getting punched by a burly guard. One final note: the movie's low budget is painfully responsible for the lack of "extras." Despite the impressive size of the prison, it only seems to hold about 12 inmates! (Note: the cast credits at the end aren't too helpful. For the record, the burly, bald-headed guard who uses Jody Nolan as a punching bag is played by Bill Fishback, and the young, fair-haired guard who administers electric shocks to Tommy Lee Thomas is played by Marc Chenail.)

It's hard to believe that at one point in the past, Eric Roberts was an A-list star in Hollywood. Nowadays he's starring in ultra cheap made for DVD product, like this movie. Actually, calling CON GAMES "ultra cheap" would be a kindness. Technically, this movie is amateur night, with poor sound and poor lighting. With sparse production values (like very few background extras), you never get the feeling you are in a real prison. The movie might have been saved with some good action and colorful performances, but there's none of that there. The first hour of the movie has almost no action except for a few people being punched in the face. Roberts seems both bored and embarrassed to be here, and as for lead actor Tommy Lee Thomas, it's no wonder that as of this date he hasn't appeared in another movie. While not one of the worst movies ever made, this movie is so forgettable that it will evaporate from your mind right after it ends.

Eric Roberts "stars" in this Tommy Lee Thomas debut prison film. He plays the leader of a corrupt ring of guards. Though evil by most people's standards, his character is the kind of guy who is nice enough to give you supporting wires while you hang chained to the ceiling as he tortures you with "Lethal Weapon" electric prods.

The movie has an intricate plot about prison corruption that makes absolutely no sense. Thomas has Clint Eastwood's squinter eyes, Dolph Lundgren's one-liners, the acting abilities of JCVD and the body of the tiniest guy you knew in school who took steroids after graduation.

Martin "Cobra Kai" Kove's career shares this low point with Roberts, in the film it is difficult to tell if Kove's character is supposed to be drunk for the entire movie or if Kove just came that way. I couldn't blame him if he did.

Fortunately for all involved, this movie has a "so bad that it's good" quality that can be fun IF YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BETTER TO DO.