Runtime:
115 minutes... that's the Unrated Cut I saw
Directed
by: John McNaughton
Starring:
Kevin Bacon, Denise Richards, Neve Campbell, Matt Dillon, Bill Murray
From:
Mandalay Entertainment
The past few days I either haven't watched anything or checked out films I already reviewed here before. Last night was the first time I saw this in many, many years:
Or: If Florida Man tried to do a film noir.
To clarify, I am reviewing the Unrated Cut but I am sure I'd rate this the same way if I had checked out the theatrical. I moved down here around this time in 2004 and long before the Florida Man meme started gaining steam, I realized there were plenty of stupid, outrageous people down here. If I wanted to I could write a lot about all the clowns I have to deal with each week. To be frank, this movie is like a really stupid version of a noir, a sleazy piece of trash which has so many nonsensical plot twists, you probably are not able to logically deconstruct the story and be able to explain what all the characters were actually doing or all their true relationships to each other, let alone try to rationalize why they were acting the way they were throughout the story.
Yet I can't hate this silly picture. It can be viewed as something you're supposed to laugh at, or maybe laugh WITH, I am not sure which distinction is correct, or maybe both are. It is entertaining both seeing how ludicrous things get and how many more plot twists can be stuffed into this. It definitely does help that the director is John McNaughton (of all people) as he adds in various subtle things... which stand out if you spot them as the movie is otherwise over the top throughout. Having some quality actors in this is a benefit-especially but not only including Bill Murray-and this has to be the finest hour of Denise Richards-it certainly wasn't The World is Not Enough.
There's also a score that was appropriate for such a tawdry tale, not to mention some songs that reminded me of how old I was as I was a teen when they were late 90's hits, and even an odd disco tune or two, such as the Miracles ditty Love Machine. I would be remiss if I did not bring up “the pool scene”, which is still memorable... yet not as titillating as it used to be two decades prior. This is not a legitimately good trashy neo-noir (you'd have to look at something along the lines of a few De Palma films) yet it still has entertainment value.
To clarify, I am reviewing the Unrated Cut but I am sure I'd rate this the same way if I had checked out the theatrical. I moved down here around this time in 2004 and long before the Florida Man meme started gaining steam, I realized there were plenty of stupid, outrageous people down here. If I wanted to I could write a lot about all the clowns I have to deal with each week. To be frank, this movie is like a really stupid version of a noir, a sleazy piece of trash which has so many nonsensical plot twists, you probably are not able to logically deconstruct the story and be able to explain what all the characters were actually doing or all their true relationships to each other, let alone try to rationalize why they were acting the way they were throughout the story.
Yet I can't hate this silly picture. It can be viewed as something you're supposed to laugh at, or maybe laugh WITH, I am not sure which distinction is correct, or maybe both are. It is entertaining both seeing how ludicrous things get and how many more plot twists can be stuffed into this. It definitely does help that the director is John McNaughton (of all people) as he adds in various subtle things... which stand out if you spot them as the movie is otherwise over the top throughout. Having some quality actors in this is a benefit-especially but not only including Bill Murray-and this has to be the finest hour of Denise Richards-it certainly wasn't The World is Not Enough.
There's also a score that was appropriate for such a tawdry tale, not to mention some songs that reminded me of how old I was as I was a teen when they were late 90's hits, and even an odd disco tune or two, such as the Miracles ditty Love Machine. I would be remiss if I did not bring up “the pool scene”, which is still memorable... yet not as titillating as it used to be two decades prior. This is not a legitimately good trashy neo-noir (you'd have to look at something along the lines of a few De Palma films) yet it still has entertainment value.
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