Taxman

I caught this on HBO while channel surfing and was almost immediately pulled into it -- it was so refreshing to see a cop film that was realistic, with believable characters who weren't superheroes, the kind of cops who get winded when they chase after a suspect and manage not to kill everyone in sight (in slow motion and utilizing more moves than the entire Romanian Olympic gymnastic team). The two main characters were real human beings who screwed up, went down blind alleys, made wrong assumptions, exploded in frustration when they should have stayed silent, did the right thing for the wrong reasons, and yet, in the end, did some good. I've noted in some of the other comments that people were put off by the fact that these guys were flawed, but that was exactly what attracted me about them.

I thought the direction of the film was very understated, yet avoided the kind of studied casualness that's considered stylish these days. The story was engaging and kept me involved. The film moved along at a good clip, but took time out for the lead character to contemplate the situation as it developed. Although there may have been a few holes in the plot, I wasn't overly aware of them, and they certainly weren't as egregious as those we've grown used to in most blockbuster films.

This was not a perfect film, and the elements from which it is put together (outcast cops buck the system, persevere and triumph) border on the cliche, but it's a film I would gladly watch again, and perhaps even want to keep in my permanent collection

This film reminded me of why low-budget films of earlier decades used to fascinate me: interesting premises, offbeat characters, and even good acting. But one must be tolerant of occasional over-acting (such as by Joe Pantoliano, who is nonetheless good), dialogue that seems at times to be ad libbed, and a screenplay with gaping holes. It is something less than a movie, yet it holds the viewer's interest with an interesting story and characters. There is also some action.

I thought that some of you might be interested in knowing what it's like to actually work on films like these. I was on the crew as a Production Assistant. It was an independent film (not produced by a major Hollywood studio) which meant a low budget. We shot it mostly in Brooklyn where the real Russian mob have been known to operate from. It was an extremely difficult movie to work on because it was poorly managed and there were a lot of jerks on the crew. I think a big reason why so many people acted like they did was because of the utter chaos which stressed everyone out. On most other productions they are probably nicer people. The producers didn't care that we didn't have enough resources to do our jobs because all they wanted to do was keep the budget down. The production coordinator had the nerve to ask me to work on Thanksgiving and then got annoyed when I refused. We worked six days a week at an average of 15 hours a day. Then near the end they laid off a bunch of us, including me because of budget problems. Several other Production Assistants quit beforehand which I can say from experience is not typical, even on low budget movies. They also fired a few other members of the crew. I will admit it was a good film when I saw it and was amazed they were able to pull if off considering how much they screwed up the actual shoot. I invite all comments and questions.

This is a small little gem of a movie. It has a good script, great acting, and deals with an important subject: the influx of Russian organized crime into the US. It is all the more interesting because the protagonist is not a flashy A-list actor, and his character is just a tax inspector with a mortgage and alimony payments. In this respect, it is much more realistic than typical Hollywood cops & robbers b*******t. This film had several very touching moments, made more poignant by the fact that the main character is a regular working stiff.

He's not Hollywood handsome and can't dance. He has more tenacity than brains and is more impulsive than courageous. He has a tendency to act first, think later, and screw up. He will apologize, but only if it's really necessary and not everything works out in the end for him. Such is the central character in "The Taxman" (Pantoliano), an okay cops vs crime flick with the twist being the hero is a federal tax investigator who stumbles into a mafia-style operation and has almost as much trouble with the system as he has with the hoodlums. "The Taxman" is an earnest effort and a worthwhile watch for those who are looking for a down-to-earth crime flick.