Montana

Didn't expect much when i bought the DVD from a local Store a few days ago, actually the reason i chose this one was simply because there were no better choices. But...turns out i made a right choice.

You can find most elements of a typical gangster movie in this one: betray, love, hatred, friendship and bloody shootout ... but what makes Montana stand out is not the plot alone(Montana does have a well arranged smart plot that keep you surprised), what makes this one different is the STYLE.

The directing style, and the style of those cool actors.

The director makes the movie in a way that seems so real. real characters, real events and real humor. and most importantly, not only the leading characters, but every single one shines in this movie.

I especially liked Claire and her friend nick(sorry i might spell their name wrong), the trust and loyalty between them really impressed me, and...nick's really got style...hehe...he's the absolutely the cool guy. fast, reliable and sometimes he's nice(to Koo's wife, to ... the boss's girl(a hooker), BTW, i have to admit that she's also a fantastic actress)...

and those bad guys also deliver a good performance which in a way enhanced the whole move.

anyway, if you are interested in a different/special gangster movie, Montana is definitely your choice! i give it 9 out of 10!

Kyra Sedgewick (who? just kidding, Kyra) and Stanley Tucci team up in a more than adequate disorganized crime flick. Although this Bonnie and Clyde team are poignant enough, this one's more about two MVP hit men (hitpersons?) and competent gangland executions than complex character study. But me...I love the kiss-kiss/bang-bang formula and this one's a goody. It kept me on edge throughout this sordid tale of assorted nasty things, i.e.; gambling, greed, nepotism, homicide, loyalty and, finally, love revealed in a death rattling disclosure. I am a reluctant convert to the Stanley Tucci Fan Club but, after having seen his career's range, depth and script judgment over these past years, I'm attending regular chapter meetings and considering taking the secretary's position. This is a good film noir offering with lots of twists and plenty of hemorrhaging from gunshot wounds, fatal and otherwise. If you like this kind of stuff...(well, nobody admits liking gory, testosterone-driven cinematic carnage anymore)...uh..uh.. come to think of it, just in case my oldest daughter reads this, I didn't really like this film that much. It had too much gratuitous violence and too much gun play. Not!!! Two thumbs sideways...

@Lary9

Well if you want to be a jerk... I'll point out that in Pulp Fiction the scene was a little different. The bullets did not miss Samuel L. They went through him. Watch it again and see when he moves to look at the wall behind him. The bullet holes are directly behind where he was standing. And i would be willing to bet Tarrentino did not invent this scene either. He just happened to make it in a popular movie.

I give Montana an EXCELLENT rating because it is not mainstream and some characters are more interesting (i.e. they don't say everything on their mind, so you have to figure them out). I like having to judge characters by observing behavior. There are many better movies with better directors, but this movie reminds me to figure things out on my own. These kind of movies can be much more stimulating. The only mystery in Pulp Fiction was what was in the case... so what.

Montana is not a hit, but is a good example of how to make an excellent movie. The plot is 'tantalizer', the actors/tress are level one pro, and the director (Jennifer) is brilliant. I kept glued to the screen all the time, and my dinner went cold...I'd like to see more of Jennifer's work, but it seems this is the only film she did. At least I didn't find more titles at the IMDb. I'll appreciate any hint.

This is most definitely an over-the-top film, starting off sick and getting progressively sicker and sucking you in during the process. the characters are well-defined and well-realized, especially Philip Seymour Hoffman's smarmy, reptilian Duncan, Robin Tunney's not-as-dumb-or-pathetic-as-she-appears Kitty and Sedgwick's hardboiled-on-the-outside Claire. Of course the film belongs to Stanley Tucci, the film's dying hitman. Another sublime, subtle performance from this extraordinarily talented actor; he actually manages to give this brutal excursion a heart.