Charlie Goose

If you are a fan of low-low-budget action flicks, with semi-famous and once-famous stars, then you might allow yourself to enjoy this movie more than it deserves. Only Joe Don Baker seems to have put any life into his performance at all. The best David Warner could come up with was having his character chew gum loudly. The action follows a crew of a "Cops"-type reality show involved in a huge nighttime shootout that leaves a dozen police officers dead, although the plots has more holes than they do. The two guys in the crew, one of whom is a pained-looking Jeffrey Combs, film the massacre unbeknownst to the killers even though the camera was about twenty feet from them with the spotlight shining merrily. The rest of the movie has Combs being pursued by the killers who just happen to be a CIA splinter group, two bumbling cops, and a charismatic inter-agency spook mediator. The ending of the movie, which I won't dare spoil, is so laughable and totally implausible that it completely invalidates the entire plot. No exaggeration.

John Ritter is an increasingly desperate real estate agent, looking to make a sale to a newlywed couple. Unfortunately, it seems every house he shows has a creepy story about the previous owners! Fine trio of horror vignettes, in the black comedy style of "Tales from the Crypt", but infinitely more subtle. Ritter is a riot as the agent-with-a-secret, but the best performance of the film is by Bryan Cranston, as a man driven to the point of madness in his battle of wits with an evil monkey that his daughter has adopted. Also look for pro wrestler Marcus Bagwell in a small role. Don't miss the ending, it's an intentional hoot!

This movie seems like one of those party games where you start with one line, and as you go around the room, each person adds another bit of the plot. Clint's a drunk trying to stay on the wagon, he's making his boss' wife, he's grieving over a young reporter he tried to put the moves on, he's neglecting his little daughter, he's involved in witty repartee with his boss' boss, he's trying to save a death row inmate on the very day of execution, on and on. The movie is difficult to watch because Clint's voice is so unbelievably raspy, you miss about 30% of his dialogue. Then there comes the matter of the convicted murdered that he is trying to save. Why is he trying to save him? Because he thinks the guy is innocent. Why does he think the guy is innocent? No reason, just his "nose". There is a powerful movie hiding here about redemption and truth and justice, but this is not it.