L'Instinct de tuer

Another one of those movies that barely gets a theatrical release you find on-demand, "The Bag Man" stars John Cusack in another fine performance as a hit man, who goes against his boss, played by Robert DeNiro. I noticed that DeNiro is looking very much like Hollywood legendary producer, Robert Evans, in this. Now DeNiro had co-starred in the 1997 film "Wag the Dog" alongside Dustin Hoffman, who admitted he took his character's inspiration from Robert Evans, so I was wondering if maybe DeNiro was doing the same here- with the look of the character anyways?? Well, anyway, overall I found myself enjoying this little film. Without giving anything away, I did sorta predict the ending, however, the performances were decent enough I would recommend seeing this- especially for fans of Cusack.

With its vivid visual style, generous amounts of violence, and a focus on the nocturnal, one can understand why viewers often compare "The Bag Man" to some films by Tarantino. But it falls short by comparison.

Most of the action takes place at a motel, where the titular bag man, Jack (John Cusack) has been directed to wait until his employer sends someone for the bag he has been instructed to guard (while never looking inside). The motel has a colorful variety of denizens, including a blue-haired, leggy female who seems interested in Jack's affairs. But so do the others. Including the motel manager, Ned, who Crispin Glover plays with his usual quirkiness.

Jack, who is understandably paranoid, is dragged down a rabbit hole of cascading events. As things go off the rails, he clings to his moral code. He might be a hitman, but he is as reliable as they come. He is no John Wick though; things get messier and messier throughout the night.

This is one of those films designed to keep you wondering what will happen from one moment to the next, with the viewer never permitted an understanding that exceeds that of the protagonist. Because of that, and the level of gratuitous violence, "The Bag Man" has a limited audience. The acting is believable, despite the film's over-the-top, stylized universe.

What there should have been in the bag was some BULBS for the lights as there wasn't any !!

Mediocre film with a few good bits with a story that only has any story and logic when it's laid out at the end !!

At the start of The Bag Man, you get excited to see Cusack returning to his hit-man- persona ala Grosse Point Blank. Unfortunately, the film is nowhere near the caliber it should be. This is a film that rolls in dread and tries to put a Tarantino-esque spin on an age old storyline, needless to say, it doesn't work. As you watch the film and get further into the story, the central question of "what's in the bag" becomes less and less interesting and appealing. Despite a flat story, The Bag Man features strong performances from John Cusack and Rebecca De Costa which keeps the audience intrigued, even if the story doesn't. Robert De Niro can play a gangster in his sleep, so I can't exactly praise him for his performance here. Although, it is Robert De Niro so any screen presence he has is still good, just not as good as everybody wants him to be. The rest of the supporting cast, such as Crispin Glover and Dominic Purcell are mediocre, at best.

Overall, this film doesn't quite work the way we want it to. It sags in the middle and then gets a pick-me-up at the end. It doesn't click like it should, which is frustrating considering the talent behind the film. The Bag Man wants to be the best Tarantino movie that Tarantino never made. Instead, it looks and feels like a cheap direct-to-DVD mess with an A-list cast.

I was really attracted to this movie due to the cast. I love Crispin Glover, and his role and acting were great. I felt the script was really weak at times, which left the other two stars, Jon Cusack and Robert DeNiro looking pretty pathetic. The chick was smoking hot, but again the acting seemed like acting. No Oscars here.

I also felt the director was building a few moments to crescendo and reveal a shocking truth or twist, but the film was so predictable, all the efforts fell short. The movie dragged on and in the end, predictable.

I did like the location of the motel, a really creepy atmosphere. Good job, location scout.

This movie is watchable, but not something you'll be telling friends about.