Kiss of Death

Everyone agrees that the casting was marque. And that it has great source material. But I feel it gets a bum rap with critics. And Nicolas Cage was exactly what the film needed. I thought so then and I think so now. Color, flash, and style. Something out of the ordinary to give it some desperately needed weight. And Cage makes weight. Literally. That is the strongest look I had seen since Stallone did "First Blood, Part II". Cage is a physical bull and it's impressive. I wouldn't have recognized him if I hadn't seen the trailer with his name on it beforehand. If you never saw this, see it. For no other reason than to be scared of Nic Cage. I was.

America has the best justice money can buy- meaning gentry that pay for the privilege of justice receive it and normal citizens will see justice only by pure accident. Here is a normal citizen who served his time but continues to be harassed by police- a common tactic of pigs- since they are too stupid to be detectives- they make their informants do all the dirty work of investigation under penalty of return to prison on some lies and setups-ya know- who they gonna believe? Me or you? This is the framework this movie operates in- the reality that most cops and lawyers are total scum that need two neat in the back of the head, and justice is a fairy tale in America.

Add in a little action jackson moments to spice it up and we have a watchable movie that is reasonably OK- not stellar- but watchable to the finish and a decent job of acting by our lead. This is one of the few action flicks that actually tries to do some acting- our lead does a great job- his supporting actors do OK- but not great.

All in all- I would watch this movie for a matinée by myself. One of the humorous things in this movie is you see Nicholas Cage bulked up as a guido in a disco.

Ex-con Jimmy Kilmartin agrees to drive a truck of stolen cars as a favour to a friend. Whilst on the job he gets caught but refuses to role over on the others involved. Whilst in prison his wife is killed in a car crash and Jimmy leaves prison, bitter but with a determination to move on. However NYPD officer Calvin wants to use Kilmartin to get close to Little Junior Brown and get evidence to shut him down.

This was one of several vehicles that was planned to turn David Caruso from a TV hit to a big screen star - as we know, it didn't work out that way. However the story is pretty solid, it doesn't break new ground and there's nothing outside of the usual crime thriller plot to surprise you but it's really quite good. At times it's a little dull because it is so straight forward but it's mostly entertaining.

Caruso, for all his current lack of success, is actually very good. The problem is that he's good by doing the same "NY Irish tough but fair" role that he did in NYPD Blue, King of New York, Bodycount and most films he's done! It's good but I don't think he can do anything else. Jackson has presence as he always does and the support cast is really well filled out with people like Helen Hunt, Stanley Tucci, Rapaport, Philip Baker Hall, Ving Rhames. Nicolas Cage's Little Junior is a mixed bag. At some points he is effective but for the most part he's horribly OTT and hammy. His character is full of ticks and eccentricities that at the end of the day that's all Cage has to do.

Overall this is a solid thriller with no surprises. Caruso fans (like me) will like it regardless because it's Caruso doing his usual role. But others may not be so easily made to overlook the weaknesses.

Kiss of Death boasts an impressive cast, authentic locales, and a gritty, accessible storyline, but it still comes across as an asthmatic remake of the film noir classic. Nobody "stars" in KOD; rather, David Caruso, Helen Hunt, Nicholas Cage, Samuel L. Jackson, Ving Rhames, and Kathryn Erbe all put in good, workmanlike performances that just don't catch fire.

I enjoyed Kiss of Death ten years ago when I rented it. What made it enjoyable again was seeing people I had forgotten about--a young Hunt, commanding on screen, an obscure Jackson, Cage almost unrecognizable, and Caruso, long before he decided to trade in acting for the ridiculous posturing he does on the boneheaded CSI: Miami.

Yet, the movie never really jells. We know the story well so we expect something better to make KOD stand out. "Workmanlike" just isn't enough.

I'd still recommend it, though. The freshness of the talent might be enough for you. And Cage, ripped and psychotic is so different from his breezy action roles of the last half decade.

You may find a gem here!

David Caruso and a beefed up Nicholas Cage star in this remake of the 1947 noir film..In this one David Caruso, on parole, is talked into doing a job to help his cousin, when he is busted, his cousin takes advantage of him and his wife Helen Hunt. Caruso is offered a deal by a slippery DA with political aims, played with the usual excellence by Stanley Tucci. Caruso then discovers the meaning of the word politics and seeks revenge on those who betrayed him. An underrated movie that didnt get much press when released (probably due to Caruso's controversial exit from NYPD Blue) this film builds the suspense and keeps you involved and interested.Caruso, the Cagney for the 90s, plays his part great with a tension you can feel. All the other roles are played well in this sleeper movie.. Well recommended Kiss of Death rates a 8