L'Ultime Cascade

"In The Shadows" tells of a hitman with a conscience (Modine) who becomes a stuntman because this dumdass flick wouldn't work if he didn't. Ill-conceived, sophomorically contrived, poorly written, and poorly directed, this flick is long of atmospherics and short on everything else. One can only watch and wonder how Caan, Adams, Modine, and Gooding climbed aboard such a shabby project. A waste of time for all but diehard fans of the principals and maybe people with some interest in film stunts. (D+)

A New York City mob boss sends a convict as a hitman to Miami, FL. To kill a stunt coordinator who the mob boss blames for his son's accidental death during a filming sequence. The hitman however, ends up falling in love with the coordinator's daughter and therefore befriends her dad as well, which makes him question how far he should go with his intended mission. Meanwhile, another team of mobsters working for the same boss try to track down a stash of cash hidden by the daughter's ex-boyfriend (the stuntman who was killed). If this plot sounds rather complicated, that's because it is!

In the aftermath of undercover agent Cuba Gooding Jr. Being killed, hit man Matthew Modine is sent to kill stunt man James Caan. Before he can do so, he falls in love with Caan's daughter, Joey Lauren Adams, and decides he wants to quit his life and become a stunt man.

It's a pleasure watching Caan being in the moment every second he is on the screen. Unfortunately, between the murky plot, Modine's failed attempt to act Caan off the screen, and the camera crew not being able to shoot Miss Adams to advantage, I was not impressed. There's a big shoot-out in a parking garage at the end for those who enjoy such things.

No ensemble or great individual actors; a horrible screenplay, and a cliched premise...put them together and you don't even have a half of a B movie.

For anyone over 18, this is like a trip to the dentist.

Grade it as an F.

I saw this movie on Showtime one afternoon. It is a really good movie all things considered. I enjoyed Matthew Modine in a darker role than he normally has. James Caan was great acting self as stuntman Lance Huston. Joey Lauren Adams was well cast in her role as Clarissa, Lance's daughter. Lillo Brancato who I loved in Bronx Tale, seemed to be going through the motions. I didn't find Cuba Gooding Jr. a good fit for his role as a Draven the undercover cop. The movie is a little slow at first but it comes around in the end. I liked the ending, though most romantics might not. If you have the chance to see it I would recommend doing so. I give this movie a 7.5 out of 10.