O Chantagista

Despite its title 1998's "Johnny Skidmarks" is NOT a comedy but a modest noirish thriller in which titular quiet freelance crime-scene photographer Peter Gallagher works for the cops (including John Lithgow), insurance companies AND a crew of blackmailers linked to the mob. That latter crew though start turning up dead one by one, just as Gallagher meets (through his deceased wife's brother Jack Black) sultry seductive dame Frances McDormand. Is a blackmail victim wreaking revenge, and if so is McDormand involved? Co-writer (with William Preston Robertson) / director John Raffo does a passable job - though with THAT title, it SHOULDA been a comedy.

This movie was better then I expected.

What little gore there was was top notch and effective to the scene,and the production values were fine.

I loved Jack black in it...he was the only Comedy in this "dark comic mystery"

John Lithgow was over the top,and fun as a psycho cop,and Gallagher was very good as the brooding photographer.

The script was a little weak and not fleshed out that well,still all in all a good movie.

The basic story is a freelance photographer gets in over his head with blackmail...then add some twists.

I was scopping out the new releases at the local Blockbuster, and I came upon the movie, Jonny Skidmarks. I read the summary on the back of the movie box, and I thought it would be good. I got home popped it into my VCR, and started watching, the beginning and end were really good, but the middle of the movie....well, it got a little out of wack, and slipped away and never came back. I say thought-provking because it makes you think, this really happens to a lot of people, not like other movies...letting the plot get too out of hand. But this movie did get out of hand, having your arms, legs, and head chopped off and laid where they are supposed to be on your body, but not actually attached, and in the shape of JESUS CHRIST on the cross. I don't think so. This movie was alright , for just one viewing, and will never be played in my home again, Frances Mcdormand needs to look at her Oscar and think to herself, 'I need to get better roles.' Over and out.

forget about all the bad things you may or may not have heard about this one ,trust no one - but me. this is one fine film, enough said.

This film wants to be a black comedy, but doesn't quite pull it off. It's like the director every now and then said "Oh yeah, it's a black comedy. Do something funny now". It just isn't consistent. Watch "Fargo" instead. I think Frances McDormand was trying to reprise her wonderful role in that film and picked this loser. And John Lithgow is capable of so much better. Not bad but very ordinary.