Parting Shots

This really is quite an entertaining romp. The cast is 'all-star' from a British perspective and generally put to good use. It's not laugh out loud funny but it is fun. The general idea of bumping off those who've upset you in life when you know you're going to die is a nice one. It got me thinking about my 'list' anyhow! I guess as a Micael Winner film it could be seen as a kind of comedy 'Death Wish'!. Oliver Reed is particularly good fun as a world-weary assassin. Chris Rea in the lead role is not at all bad in a down-beat kind of way and it's a mild surprise that we've not seen him in anything else since (at least I haven't). I don't think you'd be disappointed if you see this film.

While it lacks the urgency and poetic beauty of "Dirty Weekend", "Parting Shots" is a competent black comedy which never fails to entertain, and in parts, titillate.

Chris Rea [far superior an actor to his namesake Stephen Rea] gives a solid and effective performance as a decent guy who is told that his life is coming to end. The love scenes with Felicity Kendal aka Barbara Good are magnificent and the presence of the two expensive, beautiful and stylish call girls considerably enhances the film.

A success.

6/10

More power to the genius that is Michael Winner. He is so far ahead of the game it is incredible. In `Shots' he has managed to create the first cult film of the next millennium. No one likes this film at all, but there is a huge enjoyment to be had by anyone who views it with an open mind. I for one look forward to his next movie.

I thought that actors like John Cleese, Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg would be a recommendation for this piece. Unfortunately it's not. Only Rigg (perhaps better known as Emma Peel) is shown longer than some others. And her performance is stifled at best. It's a pity. Chris Rea is not an actor and judging from this he should refrain from an actor career. But maybe it is the sole fault of the director why this thing fails so miserably. While the story shows promise, the implementation is so shoddy that it actually hurts seeing this. Best summarized at the end of the scene where John Cleese's character closes the door after he had a painful talk with Rea. He bends over, holds his head with his hands and cries out loud: "Oh my God!" Apparently with great pain. That was really convincing and the best performance throughout the whole movie. Apart from that John Cleese is just John Cleese -- nothing more, which is good enough. The man can just withdraw himself and don't act at all and still makes himself at least bearable. The same goes for Oliver Reed. His character is a stoic killer. Reed did not even have to draw a face to deliver his part, which is good, because you can study him in one of his last roles. This movie only has these good points: you can watch the actors while they don't act at all or only give excuses for acting and see the people behind the masks. My conclusion: never watch a movie by Winner again.

Michael Winner's Parting Shots is a quite appalling, unfunny 'comedy' with the worst acting performance that you are ever likely to see. For those who think Keanu Reeves is wooden, have a look at this and see what you think of Chris Rea.

I won't go into the plot because it is so hackneyed but instead, I'll make a few observations. Firstly, the 'twist' is laughable and we guessed it during the first act. Next, the concept of a 'gun pub' is frankly laughable - the police refer to a pub in the film by saying 'that's a gun pub, isn't it'. If they knew this, why haven't they closed it down. Obviously this leads to our hero (a man with one facial expression) being able to walk into a pub and literally say that he wants to buy a gun - I don't think so.

In fact, the role of the police beggars belief - at one point, about forty arrive to arrest the perpetrator of the murders. He tells the guy in charge that it wasn't him and then evades them all by slipping out the back. If our police really were this useless, there would be mass anarchy on the streets.

Finally, it is a sad final film for Oliver Reed (who clearly looks ill). He surely deserves much better despite wasting a lot of his career. Don't be tempted by the fact that the likes of John Cleese and Ben Kingsley are in this either - Cleese reprises his role from the Sainsbury's ads while Kingsley clearly couldn't care.

Thankfully, I didn't part with any money to watch it.