13 reviews
A poor rip-off of Tarantino and Steve Soderbergh. You could see everything coming from a mile away, and all the fancy cinematic tricks, such as flashbacks, looping chronology and those annoying mini-freeze-frames whcih occur throughout the movie don't help it one bit. Worst of all was Nick Moran's acting. I don't know who he is, but he seemed like he was reading his lines from the first time off a cue card. It was like watching him in a fifth-grade play. I'm sure this director could do a lot better, with maybe better material next time. After all, it's only his first movie. I'd give him another chance. But that Nick Moran yahoo, he's better learn how to bus tables or mix drinks. BTW, Carrie-Ann Moss looked superb.
Trying to follow all the plot twists made my brain hurt. A day later, I still can't figure out what really happened, with all the lies told along the way by the characters.
I *think* there are some plot holes; if things really happened the way it turns out they did, then some things don't make sense. Either that, or the plot is just too convoluted for most people to follow.
Either way, the film left me feeling a bit puzzled. While the acting was good, the film as a whole was disappointing. I voted it 4 (out of 10) for the IMDB.
I *think* there are some plot holes; if things really happened the way it turns out they did, then some things don't make sense. Either that, or the plot is just too convoluted for most people to follow.
Either way, the film left me feeling a bit puzzled. While the acting was good, the film as a whole was disappointing. I voted it 4 (out of 10) for the IMDB.
- scooter-70
- Aug 8, 2001
- Permalink
This was not a terrible film. It was merely a poor execution of current noir film styles. The pacing was slow. The script was melodramatic in places. It is unfortunate that the dramatic pause has become an overused device. The lighting was film school quality at best. Just because the subject matter is "dark" doesn't mean that I should be unable to see the actors. The editor seemed to be overly entertained by nifty but superfluous techniques. Much like a verbal pause, the film pause can become tiresome and overused. I cannot blame the actors for their flat delivery, I have seen them all in other films giving dynamic and believable performances. If the actors were doing what they were told, then we have to blame the director. The plot was very contrived. It took elements from a number of hit movies (Usual Suspects and City on Fire among them) and smothered them. A number of clichés were employed in an attempt to make us care about the characters. They all failed. In a three dimensional world, two dimensional plots get you nowhere.
- morpheus-113
- Sep 13, 2000
- Permalink
So bland I barely managed to sit through it. A combination of the most dull cliches from every true-crime movie I've ever seen. Predictable plot goes nowhere verrrry slowly. Joe Pantogliano is excellent and barely recognizable. Unfortunately he barely appears in this movie. Carrie-Anne Moss is more feminine and interesting than she was in The Matrix, but she gets about 5 minutes of screen time and less than 10 lines. John Hurt is pretty good in basically the same role he always plays. His character was sort of interesting, for a while. Everything else about the film is breathtakingly average. Even the gunfights are absolutely basic, bare-bones and old hat. Don't waste your time, watch The Matrix or Blade again. And if you just want to see Carrie-Anne naked, go hunt for The Soft Kill, because you won't see that here (the one thing that could have given it SOME value).
- Killer B-2
- Feb 9, 2001
- Permalink
Only some gunfights scenes are worth in this UK crime flick. Directing is so confused, so is the story telling, and acting totally lousy. Sometimes I got bored, sometimes not, it is very difficult to pronounce some opinion, good or bad. This is a first film, and in very fashion in the early 2000's, in the Guy Ritchie mode. It remained more or less this way during the decade, and even further. With lesser results. John Hurt presence doesn't help at all. But you can try.
- searchanddestroy-1
- Jul 6, 2022
- Permalink
This was a real stinker. Boring and predictable from beginning to end. And worst of all a complete waste of a great cast including John Hurt, Joe Pantoliano, Carrie-Anne Moss (Cypher and Trinity from The Matrix) and Nick Moran. The center plot revolves around a man (Hurt) whose daughter needs a new heart. They don't seem to be able to find one, until the man's son (Moran) pops up, offering his heart in exchange of his fathers services. The father has to play the part of a kidnapped millionaire who was accidentally killed by Moran's gang. But he can't tell that to his boss and his 'businesspartners' (Pantoliano and Moss). This goes on for a while until the movie wraps up nicely and predictably after a grotesque shootout. 3/10
- bioscoopzaal
- May 5, 2000
- Permalink
Bad. In the words of my nemesis (Roger Ebert), I hated, hated, hated this movie. I wanted to like this movie. A good cast (Joe Pantliano, Carrie Anne Moss, the guy from Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels) can't save this turkey. Bad acting and a dumb script combined with a total absence of plot motion. Don't waste two hours of your life.
Quite how this great little movie has slipped undetected is a mystery. A great cast bring real life to a wonderfully twisty narrative that whilst inevitably drawing comparisons to Tarantino and Guy Richie by the nature of the genre, appears fresh and exciting. Don't be put off by the straight to video title, Hurst's ability as a writer is more than matched by his skill behind the camera and he never loses his grip on a story that in other hands might have become a tedious and confusing mess. This is story telling at its best.
- jo_gatlinpictures
- Sep 21, 2002
- Permalink
This is a typical 90's Crimefilm. Now I've seen lots of films like this lately, and this is not a bad one, not excellent either. Those who watch lots of B-films(like me) might think that this is just ok.
There's good actors, the Script is kinda ok, and there's some welldone gunbattles.
There's good actors, the Script is kinda ok, and there's some welldone gunbattles.
I dont agree with other people's comments about this movie, well maybe that they're dumb and dont understand the plot of this movie which is not very hard to understand and very interesting. This movie keeps you in a suspence until the end and u feel good at the same time when you're shocked. Excellent acting, casting and dialogs, its worth a watch. i'll give it 8/10
I didn't catch the very beginning but it was easy to see the plot. One thing that i wondered about in this film was the fact that Nick Moran sounded like an englishman doing an American accent, not a very convincing one! And I also thought this was pointless because John Hurt was English in the film. Dunno if i missed something but i think it would have been easier for Nick Moran just to have been English too because that accent wasn't good at all. Apart from that it was a decent film but not the best I've ever seen. I did like all the plot twists though and they fitted together well and the general acting was good. One to watch but not particularly remember!
- christutty55
- Dec 13, 2004
- Permalink
This movie looks a lot like the great movie Lock stock & two smoking barrels. The brilliant script is it´s strength and it throws you from one conclusion to another several times. Also, the acting is superb. Nick Moran, just to mention one of all the stars this film features, has never been better. Those of you who liked "Lock Stock..." must run and see this as soon as it hits the screens! (I had the opportunity to see it in the International filmfestival of Stockholm)