Runtime: 107 minutes
Directed by: Lee Tamahori
Starring: A great cast that I’ll mention below
From: Several different companies, including MGM
This is a month overdue, but RIP Treat Williams. What a shock it was to hear that he passed away in June due to a motorcycle accident. While I’ve only seen a few of his films in my lifetime, I’ve never thought anything bad about his performances and more importantly, seems like a good dude as there’s never been any bad moments or behavior attached to him that I’ve seen. The one role specifically that I’ll mention now was his turn in the 1985 movie Smooth Talk where he only appears in one twenty minute segment but holy crap is he ever terrifying as a groomer who tries to hook up with a 15 year old Laura Dern; as that character was based on serial killer Charles Schmid, I am not exaggerating how creepy he was in the role.
I chose this movie due to its 1950’s Los Angeles setting and tremendous cast where I understood that Williams had a key supporting role. It was not received well even at the time and once L.A. Confidential was released the following year, that only made this look worse and at best, it only serves as a B-movie to watch right after Confidential. As is, this is a movie which not only explains its title a few minutes in, but is a sordid tale involving a quartet of dirty cops. Insert your own comments if you wish. The case revolves around a dead prostitute but of course is more convoluted than it first sounds. Let’s just say that a movie coming out later in the summer of ’23 could be conceivably paired with this…
What a murderer’s row of a cast this has: Williams, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Connelly, Chazz Palminteri, Chris Penn, Michael Madsen, Melanie Griffith, Andrew McCarthy, John Malkovich, and some other names who weren’t listed in the opening credits so they won’t be mentioned here. As this is an ensemble piece, the role Treat played was of the small supporting variety but he was fine. The focus was on Nolte and as he’s a very talented actor, no surprise that performance was also the highlight. Is it really a spoiler to mention that he had some scenes where he was enraged?
Despite the great cast, some brutal moments, a few acting highlights, and a dedication to bring the 50’s setting to life, the overall product doesn’t rise above being “fine”. I can’t moan about this too loudly, as the memories of the time tell me that at release, the reception was negative. The fact that my opinion isn’t negative about this neo-noir meant that there was no disappointment to be had. I’m sure there’s some disappointment to be had with director Lee Tamahori-this was his American debut-and how his career turned out; at least there’s always a Bond movie. Who knows how much role he had in Die Another Day being so not good.
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