TaxiDoes

A lot of familiar faces show up in this tightly written, well directed noir piece. The bad guys are real bad, with Virginia Madsen (sporting a punky looking black hair style) in a cool role as a mob boss. Mark Snow, from "X-Files", did the soundtrack. This one times in at a crisp 91 minutes.

A real gem among lower budget films, this extremely well written and stylishly directed entry features excellent performances by many familiar faces who portray the good, evil, and mysterious characters who inhabit the story. Tim Daly shines as a corrupt cop with a twisted sense of humor, Virginia Madsen dominates her scenes as a crime kingpin, and Mia Sara amply displays some great moments... as well as her great body... as the sexy seductress. Along the way, you'll see Judd Nelson, Xander Berkeley ("Leaving Las Vegas"), Paul Le Mat ("American Graffiti"), Zach Galligan ("Gremlins"), and Thomas Wilson ("Back To The Future"). Top it all off with dynamic film score by Mark Snow ("The X-Files"), and you're in for some real entertainment.

If, like me, you scour the video shelves looking for something offbeat, this one is worth checking out. Although there are some nice shoot-outs, the story itself unfolds leisurely, like the small town it takes place in, so that you get to know the characters well, and can therefore identify with them. It's a nice change to see Dennis Hopper playing a non-loony, understated role as a local sheriff, and Mariel Hemingway, who hasn't been seen much in recent years, really shows what good an actress she is when given the chance. Peter Coyote is solid, as always. It might be a low budget film, but you'd never know it from the acting and writing.