Coisas para se Fazer em Denver Quando Você Está Morto

"Things to Do in Denver... When You're Dead" is a smart little crime flick that may not add anything to the genre but is an enjoyable ride. Andy Garcia is thoroughly charming as the honourable Jimmy the Saint who is under increasing time pressure to fix things before his crew get killed for a botched job. Other cast members also put in good performances, while if you are a fan of Steve Buscemi this film probably contains his "coolest" work to date.

"Things to Do..."'s greatest flaw is its slow exposition. It takes a while for things to get moving, by which time you may be questioning why you are watching this movie. Stick with it - "Things to Do in Denver... When You're Dead" is a crime film worth watching.

I just wanted to choose one movie out of all the movies I've seen - per chance, I've got something like a list - and vote for it here. I happened to choose "Things to Do in Denver when You're Dead", I read a few comments, voted my 8 out of 10 and then I thought: Well, I guess I could easily write an own comment about this one quite quickly. So here is what I feel about it.

Generally, I'm a person who objects decisively to too much violence and obscenity, but still I like so much about this movie. I would have avoided many scenes and sure it is also a bit too pathetic, but it's also melancholic and poetic. Never before "good gangsters" have been as likeable as here - despite all that exaggerated kind of stuff they talk. As I told you, there is this dark poetry in this picture. The jeopardy of life in which the gangsters find themselves, their only hopes and the way they take it. There is also an unhappy love-story in this movie, no special one whereof you'd remember anything great or particularly touching, but it fits into the picture.

Already when you watch the opening scene of the movie - which you might feel quite uncomfortable about - you know that this is a unique and unconventional movie which doesn't like the word *taboo*. Therefore - there IS too much violence and obscenity in it. But also this is - depending on the way you look at it - fascinating: You don't care when someone is shot, but nethertheless you think you DID care for the main characters.

And finally the performances must be mentioned. They are really extremely fine and very charming. First of all Andy Garcia's in the lead. I've seen him in a few other movies before, but I didn't know what a good actor he is. In this movie he is absolutely brilliant, he's so very likeable - and melancholic when still full of joy. Christopher Walken of course is always fine, as is Christopher Lloyd as the leper (if he actually is one, tasteless but very very grotesque and funny!) and it's Treat Williams who stands out. Fairuza Balk also deserves being mentioned. And - it's some time ago that I saw the movie, so I can't actually recall why, but - I remember that I also enjoyed Jack Warden, who had a supporting role, very much.

This film is very unique and it features a stellar cast including the great Andy Garcia, the talented Christopher Lloyd and the brilliant Christopher Walken, who;s performance is exceptional even though it is a small part.

This film is very memorable featuring great performances especially from Steve Buscemi playing the hitman. It also has very creative and quotable dialogue inluding the term boatdrinks.

I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the crime genre or anyone who is a fan of the cast. Watch this film, quote the dialogue and be a gangster yourself.

Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead is directed by Gary Fleder and written by Scott Rosenberg. It stars Andy Garcia, Christopher Lloyd, William Forsythe, Bill Nunn, Treat Williams, Steve Buscemi and Christopher Walken. Music is by Michael Convertino and cinematography by Elliot Davis.

Jimmy the Saint (Garcia) is a ex-gangster who finds one of his debts has been bought up by his ex boss, The Man With the Plan (Walken). The Man wants Jimmy to assemble a crew to put the frighteners on a guy who stole the girlfriend of his son, Bernard (Michael Nicolosi), who has been so traumatised by the break up he has taken to "bothering" young girls. Calling on four of his old comrades in crime, Jimmy feels it's a simple job that will finally clear him of his gangster debt whilst earning his hard up pals some cash. However, in fighting threatens to destabilise the group and when the "job" invariably goes wrong they all have to deal with the vengeful aftermath of The Man With the Plan.

You wanna throw those pathetic yuks some scratch, I applaud your sensitivity.

One of a number of films that surfed in on the wave created by Pulp Fiction, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead is a nifty and potent picture at times, with sharp dialogue, moments of brutalising and a fire-cracker of a neo-noir finale. Yet it's hurt considerably by the ridiculousness of the set up. Film hinges on a "shake down" arrangement that just comes off as a weak excuse for a film, in fact it's bad writing. There are a myriad of ways to set up a heist gone wrong and then have the crims be on the run for their lives, this set up is just pathetic. Buscemi's hit man is poorly conceived, with some glaring conflicting in the characterisation, while the Anwar (beautiful and leaving a good impression) love interest angle could have had much more made of it if the makers had had the courage of their convictions.

Give it a name.

Still, if you can allow the annoyance of the crappy set up to subside, then there's strong noir themes to indulge in here. A one time bad boy struggling to escape his past and characters stuck in a bleak destiny influenced rut they can't get out of. There's a pervading sense of depression hanging over the film, which in a twisted way makes for good film, while the character dynamics are strong because the characters are very memorable. Helps, too, that they have awesome names like Jimmy the Saint, Critical Bill, Franchise and Mister Shhh! Acting is very good, with Garcia earning his quality pathos stripes, Williams doing psycho with ease, Forsythe a mighty machismo presence, Lloyd resigned and pitiless and Walken turning in another in his long line of bitter scary bastards.

Worthy of interest to neo-noir fans for sure, but frustration sits in the narrative to stop it being an essential viewing. 6.5/10

This is an excellent film that has interesting characters, a tricky plot line and alot of cool phrases/sayings. This is a movie critizied for copying Pulp Fiction, but it's not the same kind of movie. It's script was made before Pulp Fiction and is more complex then Pulp fiction. Steve Buscemi is a standout in the cast as a deadly hitman named Mr. Shh, and also noticeable is Treat Williams who is the psychotic Critical Bill. This is a totally original film that should be recognized and talked about, it only had bad timing on it's release.