paultbaker
Joined Oct 2004
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paultbaker's rating
Okay, I got the screener at the video store I work at & thought the cast was interesting enough to give it a try. I've seen enough of these promos (especially from Lionsgate) to not expect much of a film, or more than a minute of each 'name' from the cover, so after reading some reviews here on IMDb I went in with low expectations.
Overall, I'd have to say I pleasantly surprised. Lots of nice little plot twists, several double-crosses, a few scenes of genuine suspense.
The movie centers around and features (newcomer?) Mick Rossi in almost every scene, and his performance only suffers in comparison to the more seasoned actors showing their stuff. He does a decent job as an unlucky little fish caught in a sea of meaner, bigger fish.
And the long list of 'guests' do a stand-out job of fleshing out their characters & keeping the story compelling. Val Kilmer is great as a dopey 'cleaner'; Vinnie Jones is nicely menacing as a crooked cop; Gabriel Byrne, in the few minutes of screen time he has, is perfect as an understated dark angel; Joanne Whalley is strangely enticing as a long-suffering but supportive ex-love interest. Anthony LaPaglia & (the great) Bruno Kirby, unfortunately, add little as tough LA detectives, but arguably they didn't have much to work with.
My only real problem would be the ending. One of those films that just kind of stops, and after so many little twists it would have been nice for something tighter to finish on.
If you're at all interested, and can find it cheap, don't be afraid to give it a try.
Overall, I'd have to say I pleasantly surprised. Lots of nice little plot twists, several double-crosses, a few scenes of genuine suspense.
The movie centers around and features (newcomer?) Mick Rossi in almost every scene, and his performance only suffers in comparison to the more seasoned actors showing their stuff. He does a decent job as an unlucky little fish caught in a sea of meaner, bigger fish.
And the long list of 'guests' do a stand-out job of fleshing out their characters & keeping the story compelling. Val Kilmer is great as a dopey 'cleaner'; Vinnie Jones is nicely menacing as a crooked cop; Gabriel Byrne, in the few minutes of screen time he has, is perfect as an understated dark angel; Joanne Whalley is strangely enticing as a long-suffering but supportive ex-love interest. Anthony LaPaglia & (the great) Bruno Kirby, unfortunately, add little as tough LA detectives, but arguably they didn't have much to work with.
My only real problem would be the ending. One of those films that just kind of stops, and after so many little twists it would have been nice for something tighter to finish on.
If you're at all interested, and can find it cheap, don't be afraid to give it a try.
Originally done by BBC 4, we just got this on Sony DVD. I've always loved the myth of Robert Johnson as much as his music, and this little doc (72min) does a wonderful job of exploring both aspects of this legendary blues man.
Narrator John Hammond retraces and re-enacts the research of blues scholars Mack McCormick and Gayle Dean Wardlow, travelling the Delta and uncovering a surprising amount of documentation about, and individuals related to (some possibly by blood) the life and legacy of Robert Johnson.
Supported by a great selection of his few recordings that rise and fall from the background audio, almost as if still struggling to be heard.
Narrator John Hammond retraces and re-enacts the research of blues scholars Mack McCormick and Gayle Dean Wardlow, travelling the Delta and uncovering a surprising amount of documentation about, and individuals related to (some possibly by blood) the life and legacy of Robert Johnson.
Supported by a great selection of his few recordings that rise and fall from the background audio, almost as if still struggling to be heard.