Persons Unknown

This is about a heist gone bad, and Joe Mantagna does his usual adequate job, perhaps not quite as animated as he is in "Jerry and Tom". It may not move along fast enough for some viewers, and the downbeat score keeps it low key. A lot of time is spent on his relationhips with the 2 sisters involved in the heist. But the plot gets interesting, and it's worth a few rental bucks. It's better than Portraits of a Killer, but not quite as good as Route 9 or Phoenix.

I saw this movie back in '99 before I knew who Naomi Watts was, but after seeing it, I made sure to take note of her name in the credits.

One thing that I found interesting in this film was their un-cliched use of smoking. In most films, a person only smokes if there is some dramatic reason to due so (eg. To look seductive/sexy, or to show they are bad or "naughty"), but in this film the two sisters just... smoked, plain and simple, and they did so in a manner that made them come across as believable, everyday people. I think there was even a line in there somewhere where Joe's character asks about Naomi's smoking and she replies that her and her sister started when they were kids. A very real scenario, again adding to the characters' believability.

I don't smoke myself so I'm not an advocate of the habit, but everything that can be said about this film already has been said in prior comments and so this was simply something different that came to my attention.

An above average script that only occasionally gets off track, and some truly intriguing actors, including Joe Mantegna, Jon Favreau, J.T. Walsh, Naomi Watts, and Kelly Lynch. The soundtrack is eerie and great. There is some welcome humor, and a budding romance. Rewatchablity seems likely and all this adds up to strong entertainment value. The only weak points are the villains, with the exception of J.T.Walsh, who come across as nothing more than cartoon-like characters. Strong character development and plot takes the place of the usual car chases and explosions. "Persons Unknown" is worth seeking out, especially if you are a fan of twisty plotted films like "Red Rock West" or "Clay Pigeons" - MERK

Around 1997 while flicking through cable channels I caught the pier scene in this movie and was instantly hooked. The blonde actress in the wheel chair had an incredible presence even just in profile. I did not know who the actress was but immediately wanted to. I checked and she was Naomi Watts (Jet Girl from "Tank Girl" ?). From that moment I was certain that she was destined to become a star. And it sure looked that way in 1997 as a rising young ingenue.

But then for three years her career lost all momentum and sank into a series of minor roles in forgettable movies punctuated by huge gaps of unemployment before David Lynch pitched her that fast ball over the middle she had been waiting for (at precisely the moment she was set to give up and become a yoga instructor) in "Mulholland Drive" that she hit out of the ballpark.

This is a good, solid, noir film of three people who have screwed up their lives with carelessness and substance abuse desperately seeking another chance. I would like it on DVD. It holds up well with levels revealed with each viewing (the subtleties of the scene where Joe Mantegna first buys the sisters lunch...).

I bought this movie on-line because it was cheaper than renting it. That said, with a cast lead by the likes of the ever-reliable Joe Mantegna and the under-used Kelly Lynch, and supported by Naomi Watts and John Favrau, my expectations were sadly high. This is nothing more than standard crime fare with double crossing and crazy drug killers and one nasty cop (the always great JT Walsh). However, beneath all that, lies a tender love story between two broken people who just can't take another heart break. I'm a sucker for a love story like this, and it works in no small part thanks to the talents of Mantegna and Watts. I'm glad to have it in my collection.