Charlie the Ox

I saw this one at a festival and loved it, particularly because of Jon Polito's performance which in my opinion is Oscar-worthy for a Best Supporting role. No other actor works as hard to steal scenes in a movie! All you have to do is rent any Coen Brothers movie to know that. From the minute he appears in "Charlie the Ox" he is mesmerizing and the audience I saw it with responded immediately at the moment he came on the screen. Somebody said he is the only person who could have pulled off that part and I have to agree. After the festival screening, the director told stories about working with him and said Polito was a consummate professional who showed up extremely well-prepared and was in charge from the second the cameras rolled. If you like any of his other work, you'll probably love this one. Don't miss it!

Not everyone's cup of tea because this film has a mean streak running through it. A lot of the jokes and payoffs come at someone's expense and after 90 minutes of that it adds up to a sadness that's cast over the whole affair. But cleverness is the word of the day here (think of a Usual Suspects that makes a lot more sense at the end) and although the plot hinges on a threadbare revenge bent, it's still smarter and more playful than most independent films. Probably plays better in NYC than it would in the sticks. More should be said about the writer- director's eye for set-ups and ear for slippery one-liners. I caught his last film (a bizarre sci-fi experiment) and felt the same way about the visuals and offbeat banter then. Very dark stuff.

Here's what all the hype boils down to: "Ox" is about as unbelievable as it is far-fetched. For starters, the success of the whole operation hinges on McAbee who plays Charlie with a lame accent or something that's like he's imitating Clint Eastwood, and the head of the mob is a total goon who is thoroughly unbelievable as a threatening gangster, and Polito plays an actor/drunk who is primarily hired to ensure that Charlie doesn't screw things up. He's good in his role, but that not saying much 'cause he's always good and he doesn't have much to do here.

Along the way, plenty of bit players and ridiculous side stories slow up the progression of the plot, and throughout the film we are constantly annoyed by face-off conversations between Charlie and the crime boss. It's that old thing of "let's get together and make an indie film that substitutes clever chit chat for any real action 'cause we can't afford a big expensive sequence." Well, I could go on, but what's the point.

Save your money for a heist film that can afford some special effects, not one that used all of its resources for a lot of talk. 6/10

Everyone is excellent in this non-stop indie. McAbee plays it taunt as a sketchy burglar, who strings along a C-list of incompetents to exact his revenge plot. Every actor is almost pitch perfect for the parts they play and the movie was very enjoyable overall. Newcomer Kane is suitably menacing as Stempel, and in my mind, this is as much his movie as McAbee's. Mr. Polito has to be one of my favorite actors working today, and his small scenes are laced with a slow leaking tension that literally comes around later in the film when a tea kettle starts its long wail. Throughout, there's a cloud of impending doom - sometimes it's real suspense, other times it's more like melancholy. But this festival film has to be one of the best 'don't tread on me' type movies in the last few years. Strong performances. Big laughs. Great quotable lines. Real moments of suspense. Some foul language. But HIGHLY recommended.

My Grade: A

Where I saw it: Cinequest

Smart script and great acting make this modest caper a watchable entry in the genre. Low-budget production doesn't really hurt the story; there is very little sex or violence, but strong characterizations and a tinge of urbane humor makes up for the scant action and lack of explosions or stunts. Film picks up steam upon the appearance of Polito, and rolls on to a swift conclusion. Highlights are the tight editing, superb writing, strong performances. Introduction of supporting players are handled well, particularly the first scene with the young girl. Memorable moments include Polito's soliloquy and a clever scene with a dog. (Rating: 9.5)