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 Drama There is always free cheese in a mousetrap  |
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The opening scene introduces us to the film's two main characters; and characters they are. Benicio Del Toro is the silent but deadly Longbaugh and Ryan Phillippe is the talkative Parker. They start the movie by really giving a good going over on some nerdy guy. This establishs their total lack of respect or consideration for anyone. Longbaugh and Parker are two small time hoods always looking for that big score that will someday set them up for life in luxury. After an overheard conversation they come on to an idea to make their dream come true. It seems that a wealthy couple have hired a surrogate mother to bear their child. Robin (Juliette Lewis) is the woman having the child for a wealth couple. It seems that the wife does not wish to go through a nine month pregnancy as it would be too inconvenient. Robin will be getting a million dollars to hand the baby over to the couple. So, it would be easy to assume that the parents would pay much more for the both Robin and the unborn child. Therefore kidnapping Robin is the way for them to go. Robin is obviously distraught over having to turn the baby over. She wishes to keep it. Unfortunately, the two kidnappers have other plans. When they kidnap her at the doctor's office, you will be treated to scenes that border on brilliant. These two miscreants really know their craft well. Two of the hired bodyguards are involved in a great shootout. Taye Diggs and Nicky Katt are the two bodyguards. You will recognize Diggs from House On Haunted Hill. They make it clear that Robin is of no consequence, all that matters is the unborn child. During an incredible car chase sequence Longbaugh and Parker learn that the baby's father is a powerful crime lord by the name of Chidduck (Clay Wilson). Dr. Allen Painter (Dylan Kussman) is coerced into coming to help Robin with the baby. The doctor is also part of a secret that I will not reveal to you. Joe Sarno, wonderfully played by James Caan, is Chidduck's protector , advisor and bag man. He is brought in to help recover Robin. He has to remind everyone that the money they deal with is laundered and that means no police can be called in to help. So now we have Sarno going after the kidnappers to negotiate a deal and the bodyguards are going out to kill them to protect another secret. Sarno brings in veteran character actor Geoffrey Lewis as Abner into the plot to help him find the girl and her kidnappers. He is an entire subplot on his own. You will recognize Lewis's face put like most character actor's his name will always escape you. The film takes us a trip across the country to Mexico where you will be treated to a great shoot out sequence that is will amaze you and leave you stunned. WAY OF THE GUN is not an easily forgotten film. The actors all breathe wonderful life into all the on screen characters. Kristen Lehman is really quite despicable as the lazy mother to be, Francesca Chidduck who also has a very bad secret. She, like everyone else is dirty with a capital D in this movie. The incredible thing that happens as the film progresses is that Longbaugh and Parker are the only two characters who actually grow. As the story progresses they show us any inkling of a conscience when it comes to Robin. WAY OF THE GUN is packed with guns, backstabbing, guns, double crosses, guns, secrets, more guns and oh yes, lots of blood. James Caan and Benicio Del Toro walk away with the picture without any doubt. Director Christopher McQuarrie should be applauded for giving us a wonderful visual story with great story telling. He has you watching every little thing that happens on the screen because so much is said with the visual and not with words. By the end of this movie I found it hard whether he was glorifying the gun or showing us how horrible guns can be. Anyway, let me give this film a very high recommendation with the suggestion that you go see it without your children and maybe not even with a date. This could easily be considered a guy flick, even though it borders on those dreaded words, art flick. The amazing thing about this film is that except in one scene, there never seems to be any cops around even when there is a shoot out in the middle of town at a clinic. The lack of law and order and the one scene with the cops in Mexico gives us the feeling that we have been transported to the western frontier, where the only law is the gun. I am going to end this with the last line of the movie by Francesca, "I'm pregnant." |
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RATING CANADA... Rated AA for violence and harsh language. Extensive gun play |
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vjm@metrocity.com