Gunshy

Okay, it's one of the oldest plot lines in the gangster film genre, but if done well, the "man infiltrates vicious gang and finds himself loyal to the friend who got him in.". The cast is good, William Peterson has the downtrodden man character down pat these days, Diane Lane is serviceable, but the real surprises come by the way of Micheal Wincott finally playing a sympathetic almost good-guy, and Eric Schaeffer for the first time in his life not being annoying on screen as the creepy hitman. Good dialogue, an abscence of bad acting, and dark look that hides its low budget origins. Definitely worth picking up from the video shop.

This is a fairly average movie about a writer wasting his life, and writing skills away on alcohol. Well, not actually wasting; It's just that he has lost his inspiration to write, and drinking seems to give some sence to his life. Then he bumps into Frankie, a poor man working for a gangster who Frankie claims he owes his life to. Frankie is very violent, and while not kills, he always gets the job done. The writer on the other hand is fairly well off on his own world, because he hasn't known of any other world for quite some time. Untill of course the day that brains (the writer) meet fists (Frankie) and this is where the core behind the whole plot of the movie lies. As a little extra, Frankies girlfriend, loves both men, and soon has to choose between the two very different two men.

The main character, and Frankies girlfriend, play fairly average, but Micheal Wincott as Frankie really surprises me. His acting is awesome, his furious expression from The Crow in the fight scenes, from the new innocent look when listening to Jake Bridges (the writer) read Moby Dick out loud to him. I never saw him in any serious movie, so this role he truly deserved.

The movie has a lot going for it because of the unexpected ending, and Micheal Wincott. The movie also has some quite good scenes which deserve some audience from other directors. Brill. See this movie.

Very well done film noir set in present-day Atlantic City, which uses the rather depressing boardwalk locations (off-season) to good effect. The story is rather twice-told but the direction and acting are solid, particularly in the case of William Petersen, Michael Wincott, and Eric Schaeffer.

William Petersen plays Jake, a down-on-his luck writer who has lost his muse and crawled into a bottle. One night, he drunkenly takes on an obnoxious bar tough, Lew (played by Meat Loaf), who takes him outside and begins to hand him a serious beating. The beating is interrupted by a low-level Irish mob enforcer, Frankie (Wincott), who had an appointment with Lew for a collection. Frankie puts a hurting on Lew and takes Jake home where Frankie's girlfriend, Melissa (Diane Lane), who happens to be a nurse, provides medical attention for Jake.

Though Jake is obnoxiously resistant at first, Frankie wants to be his friend and help him out of the hole he's dug himself into. In exchange, Frankie wants Jake to help him become more educated and erudite.

While this could turn into a sappy story on the level of Danny DeVito in Renaissance Man, instead it's a cool, dark tale of conflicting loyalties and desires with a little redemption thrown in to boot. Well acted and with solid dialogue, the film has a few cliche moments, but they are ultimately forgivable in the end.

First is this movie worth renting or taking the time to see it? The answer is yes. Michael Wincott is very good in this role and as an actor in general and his presence between his character and that of his woman and his "friend" gives this movie a believability that other movies lack. Of course the plot has a minor dip when William Peterson betrays Michael and sleeps with Diane Lane. But overall the story line is solid... the major upside to this movie though is that Michael finally plays a character who has some morals and who doesn't die at the end. So if you love Michael Wincott go see this movie.