jblake1243

The passage of time (now 1/28/11) heals all wounds. This flick may have been a laughing stock after release in 1987 but the passage of time has added new dimensions enabling the viewer to see it again from many different angles; one of which is the involvement of Norman Mailer who now possesses the mystical aura of a great artist post mortem. The campy acting and over the top attempts at noir now actually enhance this film. As a bonus there is the Cape Cod filming location with some wonderful views of the Cape in winter. The plot is complicated and almost rises to the level of a good screwball comedy although in this case the comedy is definitely black. Lots of bodies to be moved from place to place as the characters frantically try to stay one step ahead of whatever is threatening them at the moment. In the end, all is satisfactorily resolved and each character has been dealt with appropriately by fate. I thought that the last five minutes contained some of the best black comedy I've ever seen, all topped off by the happy fairy tale ending.

This film version of Frank Gilroy's unforgettable play should be considered a classic. Patricia Neal, Jack Albertson & Martin Sheen deliver outstanding performances as the parents & young adult son in an Irish-American, lower middle class family living in the Bronx at the end of World War 2.

The story centers on the son, Timmy, who has just returned home from the Army after fighting in combat as an infantryman in Europe. He returns to a home in which the relationship of his parents is undergoing strain, due primarily to discreet but nevertheless damaging extra marital affairs occasionally indulged in by the father, who is a kind of loquacious, traveling salesman type who meets lots of people in his work. The mother is played as a suffering in silence housewife who, although she loves her husband, has been deeply hurt by his infidelities.

Timmy, now changed by the war & his experiences away from home must come to terms with things as they now are. He loves both of his parents deeply but comes to realize that in order to live his life fully he will have to leave his parent's house which is now no longer what it used to be for him. His parents, while dealing with their own problems, want Timmy to stay but on another level realize that he has to leave. You will have to watch to see how things are resolved.

Once in a while you can win at the game of "remote roulette." I lucked out and caught this flick the other night while rather aimlessly looking for something decent to watch. It was being shown on a popular, premium cable network. It is a cops & robbers caper flick with more than a little twisting as it goes through its well designed plot steps with hardly any let downs along the way. I would categorize it as a black comedy-drama with a touch of noir. I thought that the dialog between the main characters, James Spader (Parker) and Leslie Stefanson (Natalie Wright)was reminiscent of Bogart & Bacall. James Spader, in my opinion, is one of the better actors in film today. It is a shame that real talent like his is not more fully recognized by the film industry, obsessed with redundant, lowest common denominator material suitable for sixth graders or special effects geeks whose every other word is "awesome." Leslie Stefanson's character is aptly named as she plays with skill and sardonic humor, a disillusioned small town girl looking for "Mr. Right." The supporting cast, particularly John Livingstone as FBI special agent Rick Kendall was above average. I just wish that there could have been a little more of the well played "Native Americans" who were involved in the story. Writer-Director Rowdy Herrington deserves praise for coming up with this low budget "sleeper" lost among the mainstream Hollywood trash currently inundating the theater and television screens of our entertainment challenged land. The authentic rural and scenic small town location creates an enchanting atmosphere that further adds to the quality of the film and even the jazz soundtrack I noticed under the closing credits was a winning pick. You will not be disappointed by this good one.