Cohen & Tate

This was the film that first marked out for me the name Eric Red as one to watch.Not only a tense,character-driven thriller,but a wonderful ensemble piece to boot,with Alec Baldwin (not a name I knew,but one I've looked out for since) and Roy Scheider (working for that rarity:A filmmaker who understands his strengths and plays to them) providing perfect foils to one another-slipping from comedy to edgy tension and back again without breaking sweat. Don't bother with it if you're after cheap thrills n' spills-give it a try and think of the road movie Hitchcock might have made...

I don't know what it is I liked about this movie but I found it to be one of the movies that I laugh at for unknown reasons, I thought it was great and have seen it at least 10 times, probably more, it is most certainly worth watching at least once.

I cannot understand why this movie has not been given better reviews. One of those films which surprises you with its originality and which having seen it you cannot understand why it has not been given more screen time.

Brilliant professional acting between Baldwin and Scheider keeps you guessing till the end as to who is going to win the battle of wills between the two men and the boy. A terrific black comedy of errors which makes you feel almost sorry for the two hit men. It would be a mistake not to watch this movie simply because you have read the bad reviews of it on this site.

It deserves to be released worldwide on DVD.

This is a rare film nowadays, and something of a hidden gem. Yes, it is that Eric Red who wrote and directed this picture. Many of his trademarks are here - an innocent boy who gets abducted by a bunch of brutal yet somehow attractive murderous outsiders; a dark, noirish feel throughout the film; and of course, it's a road movie. The film opens with a devastating scene that still has the power to disturb and becomes a roller coaster ride into the nightmarish world of two hit men who kidnap a child witness to a mob murder. Roy Schieder is excellent as the the ice-cold Cohen. But what really elevates this film into myth is the war of wills between Cohen, Tate and the little boy who does his best to drive a wedge between them. If you ever get a chance to watch this undiscovered masterpiece, don't miss it!

Harley Cross does fine work here as Travis Knight. Travis and his family were living out in the middle of nowhere in the witness protection program until their temporary hideout is infiltrated by gangsters. Travis is not only the sole survivor of the massacre, but also the only one who can identify the perpetrators. Two hit men known only as Cohen (Roy Scheider) and Tate (Adam Baldwin) are hired to kidnap the boy and drive him to their boss.

But, they're not dealing with just some kid. Travis actually turns out to be rather clever in what may seem like a helpless situation, figuring out Cohen and Tate's psychological weaknesses (Cohen is a by-the-book-no-questions-asked hit men while Tate takes pride in tormenting the smart-mouthed kid) and using it against them to protect himself.

It is a very simple film done quite well because it entirely character-driven. Surprisingly, it is quite a good thriller, despite the usual story of the hired hand and the mafia witnesses with great performances all around.