Desperate Hours

How do you even screw this up? How do you screw up a script that was already a successful book and film? I don't know, but somehow Michael Cimino did it. This mediocre movie is a 100-minute snorefest about a bad dude (played by Mickey Rourke, who contributes nothing to the role), who kidnaps a upper-middle-class family. Most of the other actors do good to very good jobs, notably Michael Morse who plays one of Rourke's cronies, and Anthony Hopkins in a role which is far beneath him. But the plot is nothing but totally predictable filler and just when you think it has gone nowhere, it goes even more nowhere. Since we already know that the script can be done well, there is no one to blame here except Michael Cimino for the non-direction this movie took. 5 out of 10.

This is a very entertaining movie that delivers the goods from start to finish, and unlike other hostage movies, gives us some outdoor scenes, most notably a car (and plane) chase. It gives the film sone freshness. This is the first Mickey Rourke movie I've seen, and he makes an effective criminal. Also, the film does something with the cops (in the police car) I've never seen before: A 180 degree turn. And the finale is so over-the- top, it almost boggles the mind. It's a finale unlike anything I've ever seen. Lindsey Crouse, who plays one of the cops, goes over the top with her performance, that I couldn't tell if she was a mean cop, or one that took her job way too seriously.

*** out of ****

Lawyer Nancy Breyers (Kelly Lynch) is defending robber and murderer Michael Bosworth (Mickey Rourke) for killing a guard in prison. She helps him escape but she falls behind. Albert (David Morse) and his brother Wally Bosworth (Elias Koteas) drive the getaway. Brenda Chandler (Lindsay Crouse) releases Nancy to track down Bosworth. Tim (Anthony Hopkins) and Nora Cornell (Mimi Rogers) are splitting up their family with their children (Shawnee Smith, Danny Gerard). He's broken up with his girlfriend and looking to reunite but she insists on selling the house. Michael and his men take over the house and keep the Cornells hostage. He makes contact with Nancy as he waits for her to join them.

Director Michael Cimino remakes the 1955 film. He's trying way too hard to be stylish. Some of the acting is too over-the-top. If he could dial some of it back, the movie could be an intense crime thriller. Micky Rourke can be an intense bad guy without any help but Cimino insists on pushing it. Everybody is overacting. The worst is probably Lindsay Crouse. Cimino is using every camera move and dramatic music. It's a little ridiculous to release Nancy but the call to her apartment is a little more ridiculous. The cops could easily be listening on the other end. It's not as if the message is in code. The movie could have been great but Cimino's relentlessness squanders the work of some great actors.

A peculiar piece of entertainment, Michael Cimino's Desperate Hours feels rather odd for a number of reasons. Not the least of which is the off kilter performance of Lindsay Crouse as the FBI agent from another galaxy. Was that lady weird or what? I couldn't understand 50% of what she said throughout this very watchable mess of a movie. Not surprisingly, Cimino's pacing is somehow frustrating and gripping at the same time. This aspect of his films seem to linger in my memory for awhile. Fans of Kelly Lynch should realize that she's topless for much of her screen time. Finally, I found the score to be very unique in flavor. Most movies of this type have a dark, menacing soundtrack. The music here is often lush,ethereal sentimental even. Not much tension sustained, but this alternates nicely with the over the top performances of Rourke, Rogers and Hopkins. All in all I think this an enjoyable flick for those looking for something slightly different in their suspense movie.

I think on a certain level this film works quite well. First, throw out everything you know about the 1955 version. Next, abandon paying too much attention to how the plot progresses (gee, Kelly Lynch's character seems to disappear for extended periods of time, and it's amazing that the FBI ever found following her to be worth it. And she is supposed to be one of the smarter characters, but then again, you took what Lindsay Crouse's character said about her too seriously.) The film has a most curious tone, and just when you think it's going to turn into an art film, we get a shoot-em-up or some other plot contrivance to bring it back to earth. The soundtrack is a moody pastiche of 50's style orchestrations (no rock music!) and recalls moody post-noir thrillers of the late 50's-early 60's.

And what a fascinating line-up of players, performances, and characters. Kelly Lynch's acting directions must have been "look snappy, especially topless, act like you just ingested a gram of cocaine, and all will go well."

One of these first years Cimino will put together all the pieces and come up with a really good, coherent film. For a really good obtuse film, reference Walter Hill's "The Driver" with Ryan O'Neal.

Oh, and if you ever thought you could mess with Lindsay Crouse, this film should dispel that notion. She's much badder than Mickey Rourke - and that's the biggest surprise of the whole picture! And with a lot less screen time, too. And by golly I guess Mickey Rourke's character is just an obsessive lover of the enigmatic Lynch. That explains a lot.

Coolest line in the film: FBI agent says to Crouse (after she got shot in the leg) : "Where are you hit?" Answer: "In the ego."