Con Games

Starring:Eric Roberts, Tommy Lee Thomas, Sheila Campbell, Tiffany Brouwer, Tony Harras, John Adam Kraemer, Marc Chenail, Patricia Bosse, Felice Heather Monteith, Lisa Enochs, Patti Francisco, Ty Rushing, Uzi Gal, Dave Casper, Katherine Parks, Davie Perez, Alex Ariza, Bill Fishback, James Carretta, Jody Nolan
Director: Jefferson Edward Donald
Studio: Mti Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Product Description
Famous for the highest rate of inmate deaths in the United States, Doscher State Prison is no place to go for life!

When the Senator's grandson is killed behind bars, politicians call on John Woodrow (Tommy Lee Thomas)- a decorated army veteran and fearless combat expert- to go undercover as an inmate and investigate the murder from inside.

Once under lock and key, John finds himself behind enemy lines- at the mercy of an all powerful guard (Eric Roberts)- whose deadly influence reaches far beyond the prison walls. John's only chance for freedom now is escape or death.

System Requirements:

Running Time 90 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Average customer rating:

Wild thriller
Sexy classic thriller!!!
Wild Things
Neve Campbell should act more she's terrific
Two's a Company, THree's a Crowd . Sex Crimes 101 .

Wild Things (Unrated Edition)
Starring: Matt Dillon , Kevin Bacon , Neve Campbell , Theresa Russell , and Denise Richards
Director: John McNaughton
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0001GF2D8
Release Date: 2004-04-20

Amazon.com

Wild Things is the kind of lurid, trashy thriller that you'll either dive into with unabashed pleasure or turn away from in prudish disgust; it's entirely your choice, but we suggest the former option since it's obviously much more fun. The plot's so convoluted it's hardly worth describing, except to say that it's set in humid Florida and involves a respected high school teacher (Matt Dillon--yes, Matt Dillon as a teacher!) who is faced with accusations of rape by a student (Denise Richards, from Starship Troopers) who had been giving him the kind of attention most people would consider improper for such a "nice" young lady. Another student (Neve Campbell) raises a similar charge against the teacher, and that's when a police officer (Kevin Bacon) begins to investigate the allegations. Just when you think the movie's gone overboard with its shameless sex and absurdly twisted plot, in drops Bill Murray as an unscrupulous lawyer (of course) to spice things up with insurance scams and welcomed comic relief. As directed by John McNaughton (who has a way of making just the right moves with this kind of film noir melodrama), Wild Things is a bona fide guilty pleasure--the kind of movie you may be ashamed to enjoy, but what the heck, you'll enjoy it anyway. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Wild thriller.......2007-03-15

This is a sleek, erotic and full of unexpected twists thriller. The cast is young, cool and made for these roles. But apert from the obvious sex appeal which help sell this film there is a very clever and fast plot that keeps the viewer interested and guessing. It is a sort of neo-film-noir directed to the young generation and the not so young generation. It all comes together at the end credits in a manner that Agatha Christie used in her own books.
Enjoy it.

Sexy classic thriller!!!.......2007-01-27

Cool, classy, stylish...need i say more? Well, why not...

Rarely is a film worthy of 5 stars - this probably isn't but it certainly is quality.

Love this film. It's just great.

Great cast, great plot, great twist...good script

A film that has both Neve Campbell and Denise Richards in it can't be bad, especially when they have a very 'close' relationship in it. The ladies are ably assisted by Kevin Bacon and Matt Dillon who are both quality geezers.

Certainly unpredictable and well worth watching...but enough about the plot, the ladies are more important

Wild Things.......2006-11-11

The credits include significant actors, so you know the movie has to be good, right? Well, most of the movie elements are fine, except the script which is very light-weight in dialogue. Perhaps this is due to the difficult plot - more time writing to make that work than giving the actors something to say.

Worth watching just to see Bill Murray play a sleeze lawyer and Denise Richards playing herself!

Neve Campbell should act more she's terrific.......2006-08-28

Actually, the whole cast worked well together. Humid Florida wealthy trampy mom ignores daughter she in turn is manipulated by sleazy teacher, girl from the wrong side of the tracks is in on the con. This movie reminded me of "Palmetto" a little seen movie with Woody Harrilson and Elizabeth Shue. It wasen't a big hit but it was the same type of con game being played on some slippery characters. Enjoy!

Two's a Company, THree's a Crowd . Sex Crimes 101 ........2006-08-09

Film Noir at it's Best. Lies, Betrayal, Deception, Sexual Eroticism. All through the movie You dont know who to cheer for, THe Cop, The Dirty Teacher, The Trailer Trash Chic, The Funny Lawyer, THe School Tramp, The Tramp's MOther, THe Cop's Partner, The Tramp's Mother Cuban LOver. You dont know who is who and what is up or down. ONe big Dirty Camp of a Movie..to describe it with only one word it would be....... YUMMY!

Average customer rating:

The Cad and the Stud
solid modern noir
Much better than I expected
Dennis Hopper is underappreciated
Erotic movie! Great acting. Good score.

The Hot Spot
Starring: Don Johnson , Virginia Madsen , Jennifer Connelly , Charles Martin Smith , and William Sadler
Director: Dennis Hopper
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0792845803
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Amazon.com

The Hot Spot is best known to lecherous film buffs for Jennifer Connelly's topless scene, but this sultry southern noir deserves more than prurient interest. It's arguably Dennis Hopper's best directorial effort (OK, so that's not saying much), and Charles Williams's source novel Hell Hath No Fury finds Hopper in a comfortable B-movie milieu, riffing on Double Indemnity with an overripe tale of sex, greed, and blackmail in an unnamed Texan town. Fresh from the final season of Miami Vice, Don Johnson stars as a shifty drifter, conning his way into a salesman job on a used-car lot, where the boss's insatiable wife (Virginia Madsen) offers him sexual favors and a lovely secretary's (Connelly) innocence is threatened by a percolating scandal. Nobody's really innocent, of course, and Hopper spices this languid web of secrets with enough trashy misbehavior to qualify The Hot Spot as a bona fide guilty pleasure. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Don Johnson ("Nash Bridges"), Virginia Madsen (The Haunting) and Jennifer Connelly (Dark City) heat up the screen in this torrid erotic thriller from the acclaimed director of Easy Rider. Exploding in a series of suspenseful twists and passionate encounters, this "ingenious" (Los Angeles Daily News) film will keep you guessing until its final, shocking climax! Harry Madox (Johnson) is a handsome drifter who is not above larceny to make ends meet. After staging a daring daylight robbery at a local bank, he receives an alibi from an unexpected ally: Dolly Harshaw (Madsen), a sexy and mysterious local woman who has her own plans for him. But when Harry falls for another beautiful woman (Connelly), he incurs Dolly's wrath and finds himself caught in a maze of jealousy, betrayal and murder from which escape is impossible and danger is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

Customer Reviews:

The Cad and the Stud.......2007-05-26

Once you get past the incredibly sultry Virginia Madsen and the lovely Jennifer Connelly, take a gander at the Cad and the Stud. No, I dont mean Johnson & Johnson, I'm referring to the legendarily photogenic '59 Pink Cadillac and the rarely seen '59 Studebaker (Silver Hawk). These rides are as dramatically different from the vanilla on the used car lot as their ultra sexy drivers are from the Texas townspeople. (As for Jeniffer, she likes to walk; and the snivelling blackmailer drives something out of Mad Max---but let's not go there!) I think the Cadillac is an obvious choice for Madsen. The Studebaker is an interesting choice for Johnson. The Silver Hawk (or its older brother, the Golden Hawk) is a strange mix of automotive design---an unlikely collection of dissonant pieces that somehow come together to create a unique, fascinating, and bold work of art. The automotive equivalent of, say, Stravinsky's "Rites of Spring." It strikes me as a very masculine car, and it definitely has "Drive me, Don Johnson!" written all over its muscular grille. There is a lot to see and appreciate in this movie. Obviously, Dennis Hopper made a very conscious decision to hire some wheels for a few key roles. But he must have been stumped when it came to Connelly. What car would have been a good match for her? Not an easy ride...

solid modern noir.......2006-11-10

This film didn't get much box office when it was released. Hopper blamed some of that on Don Johnson not hyping the film on the marketing circuit a'la talk shows, etc...

In any case, it was a solid plot/acting/direction job. Connelly is totally believable as the innocent yet sensual small town girl. Was that really Virginia Madsen? Ever since Sideways, I just look at her in a totally different way from her appearance in The Hot Spot.

Basically, just a nice little film.

Much better than I expected.......2006-08-08

This updated film Noir style thriller set in a hot dusty small town in Texas is helped by steamy performances by Don Johnson and Virginia Madsen. Well directed by Dennis Hopper, the film at just over 2 hours manages to hold your attention throughout. Fascinating to watch really bad people doing really bad things to each other.
Jennifer Connelly (very young) showed tremendous promise in this.
The big surprise is Johnson who is actually terrific as the stranger in town that sets all the action in motion.

Dennis Hopper is underappreciated.......2006-07-05

It seems that every time Dennis Hopper is on the Tonight Show, he gets asked about his relationship with his friend James Dean, back in the 1950s. The irony is that Dean died young after 3 films, and Hopper went on to have a long, distinguished career, which was in many ways more interesting and accomplished than anything Dean ever did. Amongst the accomplishments for Hopper is his directing, in this case THE HOT SPOT. This movie is outstanding--it creates to a "t" the wicked ambience of film noir, and features fine performances from Johnson, Madsen, and Connelly. And a sound track featuring John Lee Hooker, Miles Davis, and Taj Mahal!! My God, Hopper has impeccable taste!

Erotic movie! Great acting. Good score........2006-01-21

Don Johnson is so good-looking in this movie - but I think he smokes in almost every scene, which takes away from his attractiveness. Virginia Madsen was absolutely wonderful and played the part to perfection and was very erotic! Good movie, but a lot of sex! I loved the score - it was great.

Average customer rating:

Critics, listen up, Are you people kidding me?!?!?!
Dock it!
Change of heart!!!!!
Fun & action packed
The movie title describes the gig

Paycheck (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Ben Affleck , Aaron Eckhart , Uma Thurman , Paul Giamatti , and Colm Feore
Director: John Woo
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001NBNDY
Release Date: 2004-05-18

Amazon.com

The brainy, paranoid science fiction of writer Philip K. Dick has inspired one visionary classic (Blade Runner) and two above-average action movies (Total Recall and Minority Report). Paycheck aspires to follow in their footsteps: An engineer (Ben Affleck, Chasing Amy) routinely agrees to have his memory erased after every job so that he doesn't know what he's done. But after the biggest job of his life, he discovers that not only has he refused a $90 million paycheck, he's sent himself an envelope full of things he doesn't recognize--and he doesn't remember doing any of this. As he unravels the plot, he discovers he's also fallen in love (with Uma Thurman, Kill Bill) and invented a dangerous device for his former boss (Aaron Eckhart, Erin Brockovich). Affleck is bland, the script ruins a cunning idea, and the direction--from the normally dynamic John Woo (Face/Off)--plods along, aimless and bored. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Critics, listen up, Are you people kidding me?!?!?!.......2007-04-21

Why oh why do people nip-pick like they are the best critics in the world. This movie is probably one of the better movies that Afflec has done in his whole movie career. I'm not saying the movie is "one of the best movies" in the whole entire world. . . i.e. Shawshank Redemption... having said that, this movie keeps your mind going, keep your mind thinking, and overall, it is entertaining, no one deserve an OSCAR Award, well maybe the Parrot, but it is a good good good movie, would of got 5 Stars if we could really tell the future. :) lol Just kidding, thats not why it didnt get a 5 stars, for a 5 stars i think this movie should of had a bigger twist at the end or even for the fact that it leaves you wanting a little more than how it ended. People give 5 stars like there are generals or the government. lol.

Dock it!.......2007-03-31

Roger Ebert hated this movie. So did I. This heretofore unimaginable confluence of opinion means one of us has to die.

Change of heart!!!!!.......2007-02-12

I used to use these reviews to see which movies i would buy, but after seeing that most of them rated paycheck so poorly thats over with. It is one of my favorite movies and i watch it all the time. Stop trying to analyze the movie so much, its a freakin action movie and it has good action in it. If u wanna pinpoint every flaw in the movie go sit with ebert and roper or somebody, they seem to suck at rating movies too. Kill Bill was freakin weak and stupid to me but it had a lot of good action in it and thats all im lookin for in a ACTION movie. Stop trying to be a critic and just watch the movie!

Fun & action packed.......2007-01-04

I think people are being too critical of this film. It is very fun, and I thought it had a clever story line. You will be on the edge of your seat with it. If you watch this movie with the intent of entertainment, then you will really enjoy it. Just don't try and over analyze the science depicted; remember, it is just for fun. At the price Amazon has it for, it is worth owning if you are a movie collector.
The audio/video quality is very good too.

The movie title describes the gig .......2006-11-02

Like John Woo's other American films, "Paycheck" shows none of the innovation, excitement, storytelling or other qualities that made such movies as "Hard Boiled" so incredible. "Paycheck" is a science fiction movie with no science, an action movie with very little action, a romance without any passion. Even the McGuffin, which should be super cool, is just blah and unexciting. The film makes no sense, includes plot holes aplenty, and doesn't have enough energy or fun to compensate. Affleck, Thurman, Giametti - all of them are good actors that have made far better movies. It's not their fault; lazy scripting and direction are the culprits here. Spend your paycheck on a better movie.

Average customer rating:

Great Movie
great the first time, but can't be re-viewed once you know the secret
You Cannot Cheat An Honest Man or Woman
Good, although I was able to predict the surprises
You can't bluff someone who's not paying attention.

House of Games
Starring: Lindsay Crouse , Joe Mantegna , Mike Nussbaum , Lilia Skala , and J.T. Walsh
Director: David Mamet
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B00004ZBVL
Release Date: 2000-12-19

Amazon.com

David Mamet's 1987 directorial debut was this mesmerizing study of control and seduction between two kinds of detached observers: a gambler who is also a con artist, and a psychotherapist who is also an emerging pop-psych guru in the book market. The latter (played by Lindsay Crouse) meets the former (Joe Mantegna) when one of her clients is driven to despair from his debts to the card shark. Mantegna's character agrees to drop the IOUs in exchange for Crouse's attention at the seedy House of Games in Seattle, a mecca for con men to talk shop and hustle unsuspecting customers. The shrink gets so caught up in the arcane rules and world view of her guide over subsequent days that she observes--with no false rapture--various stings in progress inside and outside the club. Mamet's story finally becomes a fascinating study of two people protecting and extending their respective cosmologies the way rival predators fight for the same piece of turf. The psychological challenge is compelling; so is the stylized dialogue, with its pattern of pauses and hiccups and humming meter. Mostly shooting at night, Mamet also gave Seattle a different look from previous filmmakers, turning its familiar puddles into concentrations of liquid neon and poisonous noir. --Tom Keogh

Description

It's the shrink vs. the shark in the ultimate mind game! Starring OscarÂ(r) nominee* Lindsay Crouse (The Insider) and Joe Montegna (The Godfather III) as an unlikely team of conartists, this "witty and devious" (Time) psychological thriller is OscarÂ(r) nominee** David Mamet's directorial debut. It's an "extraordinary" (Newsweek) and "thrilling funhouse" (New York Post) of mental gamesmanship that will keep you guessing until its exciting end! When a suicidal patient reveals that his gambling debt has him at the end of his rope, dedicated psychiatrist Margaret Ford (Crouse) enters into the shadowy underground world of gaming to help him out. At a seedy casino, she boldly confronts Mike (Montegna), the con man who holds her patient's markers. Duped into a high-stakes poker match, Margaret becomes intoxicated by Mike's mastery, as he both cheats at the game and charms her. She quickly falls for him, turning a blind eye to the fact that he's a swindler who can't be trusted. And before long she finds herself sparring in a mental poker match of the heart with deadly consequences! *1984: Supporting Actress, Places in the Heart **1982: Writing, Screenplay Based on Material From Another Medium, The Verdict; 1997: Writing, Screenplay Based on Material From Another Medium, Wag the Dog

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie.......2007-05-19

This film is practically flawless within the confines of the film. What I mean by that is In the film, you can believe everything that is happening.

This is one of those films (like LENNY and KUNDUN) where I'll double dip if a special edition came out. The Criterion Collection just announced a release in August 2007 [...]

HOWEVER, for those of you who have seen the film...

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Mamet plays with the notion that you never really know who anybody is. Is he a small town gambler or a pawn in a game? Which brings me to the poker game. The poker game has, what, 5 or six players (I'm doing this by memory): Mike, Joey, George, and two or three other players.

Now, even though they leave after the "game" (as in poker) ends, are they part of the con? What about the bartender? You could even go as far as asking if anyone from that world isn't in on it. And then you can ask, well what about Dr. Ford's friend, Dr. Littauer?

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

great the first time, but can't be re-viewed once you know the secret.......2007-01-31

The first time I viewed this film, I was utterly wowed by the intricacy of the plot and the absolutely first rate acting. There is no doubt that that experience is worth the price of admission. You get the obsessively self-controlled psychiatrist, Crouse, who enters an alien underworld with indeciferable intentions. Then you have the mysterious and charming "gambler", Mantegna, who acts as her guide. The two of them enter what appears to be a wonderfully seductive and fascinating relationship that only grows more complicated and unpredictable as the film progresses - I do not want to play the spoiler here.

Unfortunately, once you "get it", there is little pleasure in watching it again for nuance and additional meaning, which I can only conclude are not there. As such, I would not recommend buying the film: it is far better to rent it, however excellent it is on first viewing.

You Cannot Cheat An Honest Man or Woman.......2006-03-26

In his 1987 directorial debut, HOUSE OF GAMES, master writer David Mamet delivers a chilling account of the relationship between Dr. Margaret Ford and a low rent gangster named Mike who tries to seduce her.

A psychological thriller that features the acting chops of Mamet's then wife, Lindsay Crouse and character actor Joe Montegna, HOUSE OF GAMES really stars Mamet's brilliant dialouge that captivates the audience with its hypnotic rhythms and captivating sentence structures.

In a nutshell the plot is simple. In this dark drama, Dr. Ford is an emotionally conservative psychologist and best selling author of a self help book. Through one of her patients she meets Mike, an underworld gangster type who charms her with his tales of the cons he and his cohorts use to swindle seemingly innocent people.

Believing she is becoming privvy to the secret world of gamblers and con artists, Dr. Ford drops her guard and follows Mike through a series of cons that seem to work flawlessly.

At times a suspicious person who trusts no one, Dr. Ford at other times appears to be pliable stooge, easily manipulated by a seasoned con man. But is she really as innocent and as naive as she appears? Or is Mike the real stool pigeon? It is never easy to say for sure, even when the film ends.

But one thing is definitely clear half way through the film: Dr. Margaret Ford is not as honest nor as much in control as her patients believe. But who will pay the price for a con gone awry? No one knows until the final scene closes and you are left to wonder what secrets lie behind the faces of the innocent and the guilty alike.

- Regina McMenamin

Good, although I was able to predict the surprises.......2006-02-26

Many years ago, someone recommended this film to me, and I can understand why. It's a clever film, full of surprises as the protagonist psychiatrist is drawn into the world of confidence men, finding herself fascinated by their very different life. Mamet is known for his dialogue, perfected on the stage, that tries to recreate "normal" speaking patterns. It might be normal, but it's not necessarily realistic. What I like about it is the quickness of it (something also from the stage), moving on from character to character without necessarily waiting for the audience to follow.

Unfortunately, I must have seen enough of these kinds of movies because I was able to predict a number of the surprises, including the major one. Still, I enjoyed the movie and would be willing to see another one by Mamet.

You can't bluff someone who's not paying attention........2005-11-28

When I first began House of Games, I hated it. I hated the language, I hated the characters, I hated the tone, but then something changed. Mamet finally took control of this film and pulled the audience in by tricking all of us into thinking this was a film about a young love and the darkness of the world, when instead it was all about something deeper. If you go into this film expecting the classic 1980s cliché of woman meets man, man is a criminal, woman changes man thus leading to a sloppy wet ending, you will be utterly disappointed. This structure is initially how I envisioned this film, and with the first half an hour filmed the way it was, there was no doubt in my mind that I had been suckered into just another average crime film. Then, midway through the picture, the tones and themes dramatically change. I didn't even see it coming, but when you least expect it, like the "con" performed in this film, it will blindside you quicker than a deer on the highway. House of Games leaves you with this perfect example of just how dark David Mamet is.

This is a film that most will either hate or love. The reason that I say this is because the language of the film is extremely "stagey". Before this film, David Mamet had found his success with his plays. The power of his characters, the unjustness of his plots, and the vile of his villains were key elements to packing his plays full of patrons. In House of Games he attempts to bring the stage to the screen without any changes. You can literally hear the beats between the characters when they are talking. The language that they use feel and sound as if they are acting in front of a live audience, not just for the camera. This makes the words a bit stale at times. You can visually see this film as a play because of the language that is used. Again, some will hate this about the film, while others will see it as nothing short of classic Mamet. For me, I hated it at first, but as the film developed, I began to see the logic behind it. The quickness of the conversations between the characters gave more definition to the "con" that they were trying to perform. I always felt as if they were quickly getting something by me. About the middle of the film, I began listening to every word said afraid that I would miss a key element that would unravel this tight plot. I began waiting for scenes where Margaret (Crouse) would stumble on her words, change the meaning, thus allowing us to develop the evil that was within her. Slowly and steadily this "stagey" language worked for me, and it gave just a small addition to the characters.

For anyone that has ever seen most of Mamet's film versions (and some of his stage performances) you will notice that he is notorious for using the same characters throughout. I like this quite a bit. Christopher Guest uses the same technique. While I have talked to some that think that it only shows the repetition of his originality, I think that it gives Mamet definition and substance. I loved watching this early film of Mamet's and see a young William H. Macy in a scene and his use of my favorite J.T. Walsh. It is fun to watch these actors grow in Mamet's films. Many of them you can see in State & Main and Heist. Does that mean that they are necessarily good actors then? I don't think so. While I liked the continual use of the same characters, some (more than others), have trouble with the characters. For example, in House of Games, it was obvious that Lindsay Crouse did not have control over her character. She seemed fake in her scenes, and did not counter will with Mantegna (who gave a great performance). She seemed on a different beat compared to the others in this film, and I think it hurt House of Games somewhat. She wasn't the strongest actress that Mamet could have chosen.

While I loved the "con" throughout the film, I did feel as if the ending was a bit on the weak side. Without giving it away, it started to feel used before it was over. I knew deep within me where it was going, but I kept waiting for the big "hurrah", but alas, there wasn't any. That is where Mamet missed his mark. The ending needed to be stronger. I loved watching this simple woman transform into evil and the entire themes that went along with that, but I needed more. I loved the anti-romantic notion of this film, but I needed more. I loved the character interactions in this film, but I needed more. That was exactly how I felt about this film. I loved House of Games, but I needed more. Mamet ended the film without giving us closure, and while the rest of the film was exciting to watch, this ending just left me soured.

Overall, I loved it, but I don't think that I could watch it again. Mamet is one of the greatest writers of our generation providing us with some very "cult" anti-Hollywood cinema, but this first film was a rough-cut. It was smart, intelligent, and overall a stage version of his play onto film. A stronger transition was needed from stage to screen. The characters were somewhat developed and the plot was sensational. The darkness by the end of the film caught me unprepared. I liked this film, but a second viewing is not in my future. I love David Mamet's work and cannot wait to submerge myself into more of his films later.

Grade: *** out of *****

Average customer rating:

Sociopathic behavior hits a remodeled Victorian house in San Francisco
Pacific heights
Pacific Heights or California Low?
Masterpiece
An Engrossing Thriller...The Worst Tenant You Might Ever Have...

Pacific Heights
Starring: Luca Bercovici , Guy Boyd , Melanie Griffith , Jerry Hardin , and Dorian Harewood
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00002E23C
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

Ever a had neighbor from hell? You know, the one who never cleans, makes too much noise at night with his jigsaw, and breeds cockroaches and pumps them into your apartment? Never have? Well, pump up your paranoia with this outlandish if mildly enjoyable thriller starring Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine as San Francisco yuppies-cum-landlords who rent out an apartment in their Pacific Heights house to mild-mannered Michael Keaton in order to make the mortgage payment. What seems like a happy arrangement all around turns hellish when: (a) Keaton refuses to pay the rent; (b) firmly entrenches himself in the apartment thanks to some legal maneuvering; and (c) starts playing with the cockroaches. Ostensibly, Keaton wants to drive Griffith and Modine to bankruptcy and then pick up their fab Victorian house for cheap, but as is the way of all thrillers, he's got a sadistic and homicidal bent to back up his real-estate envy. Director John Schlesinger (Midnight Cowboy) manipulates the thrills somewhat effectively, if not gratuitously, especially with Griffith's damsel-in-distress character, turning on the tension in the don't-go-to-the-attic/garage/basement set pieces. Part of the problem of the film lies in its schizophrenic tone: one moment it's a what's-in-the-dark? thriller, at other times a nifty cat-and-mouse game of psychological wills between Keaton and his landlords. Both sides of the movie are effective in their own right, and Keaton is a great psycho, but Schlesinger doesn't quite bring it together, despite a considerably amped-up climax. Still, if the sight of a beautiful house being slowly destroyed is your idea of the ultimate horror, you'll be chilled to the bone. Look for Griffith's mother, Tippi Hedren of The Birds fame, in a small role. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews:

Sociopathic behavior hits a remodeled Victorian house in San Francisco.......2007-02-01

Pacific Heights is a prettt solid three star movie. It's not the greatest thriller ever, but it's definitely not entirely unbelievable. It's somewhere in between.

A couple (young couple, if you believe the back of the DVD) pools their life savings to purchase an old Victorian house in San Francisco, with plans to rent out the two rooms on the bottom floor in order to pay the mortgage each month. What they don't count on is Michael Keaton's sociopathic creation Carter Hayes moving in. Terrible events ensue.

It's a pretty solid premise and plays out fairly well, except that in order for Hayes' plans to unravel correctly, you have to assume that any landlord would be rash enough to accept you as a tenant without receiving any payment and without a rental application, shut off your power if you're loud at night, physically attack you and knock you through a glass window, and ultimately be unsuspecting enough not to watch out for you making bail once you've been discovered and arrested. These flaws, which feel more and more forced throughout, seriously damage the chilling nature of the film, and also damage what would otherwise be a very credibly psychological thriller.

Michael Keaton is the only credible actor in the film a well, although Beverly D'Angelo also has some good scenes. Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine give stilted performances that also hurt the movie, Modine more so than Griffith.

Now that I've said all the bad stuff about the movie, I'm changing my tune to say that it was still interesting to watch and for a movie made 17 years ago, it held on to quite a bit of its twists and intrigue. Identity theft is much more technologically advanced these days, but the idea of someone walking around pretending to be you is equally disconcerting in 2007 as it was in 1990. Pacific Heights is definitely still worth a watch.

Pacific heights.......2007-01-22

Love this movie , simply one of the best movies I have seen . You have to watch this one !! What a show .

Pacific Heights or California Low?.......2006-02-25

There is some first-rate acting in Pacific Heights by Melanie Griffith, Mathew Modine, Mako, Nobu McCarthy, Michael Keaton and every other role, however large or small in the film. I'd rate Pacific Heights as a full five-stars were it not for the less than inspired writing. (I often suspect some writers believe their audience is primarily composed of idiots.)

A young, unmarried straight couple, played by Griffith and Modine, buy a fixer up house on a corner lot in Pacific Heights. The couple spends way more for the house than they can possibly afford unless they subdivide the home into three separate apartments, two of which will be rented out. (Bankers generally look down, way down, on this type of financial risk.)

The first floor apartment at the rear of the house is quickly rented to Mako and his wife, sympathetically played by Nobu McCarthy. A black detective wants to rent the apartment at the front of the house also on the first floor, but is told by Ms. Griffith that he'll have to fill out an application and a credit check will have to be run. (Isn't this general practice regardless of one's race, sex or obviously "apparent" assets, such as car, clothes, shoes, hair style, etc? But Pacific Heights tries to suggest the need for a background and credit check may relate to the detective's skin color. But Ms. Griffith, who does the interview, isn't even told the guy's a cop! Nor is he asked, "What do you do for a living?"

The biggest problem in Pacific Heights involves the manner in which Michael Keaton (who drives a black Porsche 911 in the movie) cons and forces his way into the apartment that otherwise would have gone to the black detective. Anywhere but California, and, I suspect, in California, too, Keaton's move into the first floor apartment isn't just unauthorized, it's a home invasion by a squatter! Keaton never fills out an application; he never pays the deposit; he never pays his rent; after he invades the home he gets into a fight with Modine---and gets a restraining order that keeps Modine out of his own house! The writing here is way too far-fetched.

As stated above, the acting is first-rate. So is the direction. And so are the sets and costumes. And San Francisco is such a beautiful place to visit or film a movie. The only problem with Pacific Heights is that the writing is far too weak.

Andy McKane
Missoula, Montana

Masterpiece.......2005-11-04

Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) and Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) are a young couple in love
and together they take the plunge and buy a house beyond their means in the upscale Pacific
Heights. Overextended but in love, they rent out 2 apartments for income to help with their
mortgage. One is rented out to a wealthy young businessman (Michael Keaton) who drives a
Porsche and pays 5 months in advance rent in cash. After their other tenant moves out, and
Michael Keaton refuses to pay rent, the strain on the couples finances threaten foreclosure.
As Michael Keaton's true nature emerges, and he changes the locks, does loud construction
work into the late hours, and sets up Matthew Modine to be arrested, Melanie Griffith
starts to investigate Michael Keaton's real past. She learns that he's born into wealth, has a
checkered past, and swindles wealthy people as a career con artist. She gets Michael Keaton
arrested and his wealthy girlfriend bails him out. In the end, Michael Keaton has a fatal
confrontation with Matthew Modine in their house. Supporting cast includes Beverly D'Angelo
as Michael Keaton's former lover and partner.

A masterful treatment of the story. Great film for any age.

Little coarse language and few scenes of violence.

A perfect suspense film. Michael Keaton is terrific as the bad guy, scheming his way
like a snake. Melanie Griffith is strong minded, and Matthew Modine plays naive but well
meaning.

Everything's perfect in this film, not a dull moment. Little to say about this movie except,
"watch it!"

A great addition to your film collection of modern suspense masterpieces.

An Engrossing Thriller...The Worst Tenant You Might Ever Have..........2005-09-27

PACIFIC HEIGHTS is the ultimate story of the tenant gone completely crazy...and completely wrong! This is one of the best thrillers to grace movies besides FATAL ATTRACTION and DIABOLIQUE (the 1960s version).

Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith play Drake and Patty, a couple trying to invest in their dream of buying a house in the beautiful suburbs of San Francisco, and restoring it to rent to the idea tenants. Enter Michael Keaton as Carter Hayes, the conman sociopath who seems at first like the most idea individual to pick as a tenant, but Drake and Patty have no idea what they are getting themselves into when they find out he has welcomed himself into the new apartment. Carter gets them both into trouble in some sinister ways, and uses the law to his full benefit to make everything look like it's Patty, and especially Drake's, fault. Over the course of the movie, these series of events start to take a toll on the relationship between Patty and Drake, and even worse, Carter's breeding roaches in his own place...disgusting! Things get really hairy after Patty does some very clever private investigating and really messes with Carter to the point that the climax of the movie brings it all into play.
Michael Keaton plays the crooked tenant to absolute perfection in one of his best roles as a bad guy. Modine and Griffith have excellent chemistry as the couple trying to fight to knock Carter out of their lives. Even an appearance by Laurie Metcalf makes for some entertainment you're sure to appreciate.
PACIFIC HEIGHTS is one of the best thrillers, great for a Saturday night stay-in or for an introduction into where thrillers got really smart again since the days of PSYCHO and WAIT UNTIL DARK. And you can't go wrong with the wicked performance by Keaton, and some memorable perfomances from the cast all around. PACIFIC HEIGHTS is the ultimate nightmare...and the ultimate experience of tenants gone...well, very mad.

Average customer rating:

Underrated, A Good Remake
The context has been unluckily erased
not bad for a remake
STONE COLD STONE
Blame The Director-Not the Cast

Diabolique
Starring: Sharon Stone , Isabelle Adjani , Chazz Palminteri , Kathy Bates , and Spalding Gray
Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: 0790750651
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1955 French thriller Diabolique is the epitome of noir. As a twisted plot unravels, the scene is set for murder and deceit. The Devils (a.k.a. Les Diaboliques) live at a rundown boys home with Michel Delasalle (Paul Meurisse) as the cruel headmaster treating the students with disdain and indignity. His wife, Christina Delasalle (played by Véra Clouzot), an ex-nun and owner of the school before their marriage, experiences the brunt of his abuse. He humiliates Christina in front of the student body and faculty and then flaunts his insidious affairs in front of her. Christina rebels quietly, although her heart condition leaves her vulnerable and too fragile to resist her husband's brute strength. Ironically, it is Michel's mistress Nicole Horner (Simone Signoret), another teacher at the school, who encourages Christina to plot a sinister revenge against him. As the abuse continues, "Cricri" is forced to make a decision as she realizes her husband will never grant her a divorce and give up the school. Since both divorce and murder are sins against God, Christina's religious beliefs conflict with Nicole's manipulation and ideas of revenge. As she is forced to choose, her actions result in a surprising and suspenseful turn of events that promise to keep you on the edge of your seat! (English subtitles) --Michele Goodson

Customer Reviews:

Underrated, A Good Remake.......2007-01-08

"Diabolique" has the makings of a bad remake. They kept the French name for the title, it (slightly) changes the ending, and it's written by Don Roos, a writer/director better known for comedies like "The Opposite of Sex" and "Happy Endings." While "Diabolique" isn't better than the original, but it is good and a nice cast and some suspenseful moments fill it out. French actress Isabelle Adjani plays Mia Baran, a woman with a heart condition who is the owner of a boy's school. Her husband Guy (Chazz Palminteri) is the headmaster, who is abusive to Mia and openly has an affair with the principal Nicole (Sharon Stone, who looks hot). Sick of what they have to put up with, Nicole and Mia plot to kill Guy. The plan is simple (sort of idiotic, but simple);
They go to Nicole's house, bring Guy over, drown him in the bathtub, smuggle his body back to the school, and than dump his body in the swimming pool. Everything goes well, but the tension of the body being found is driving everyone crazy. Soon, the pool is drained and no body is found...And the women believe they're being blackmailed by an unseen presence, since the suit they killed him in turns up, as well as pictures of them hauling the body out of Nicole's house. One of the movie's creepiest moments (it was in the original too) comes when the cameraman that are at the school are filming the children and see, what appears to be, Guy standing in a window overlooking the school. In the original, it was the school picture where he was seen in the window but here it is just as effective. Kathy Bates brings a charming performance as the detective hired by Mia to find Guy, who suspects something wrong immediately. "Diabolique" does attempt to improve upon the original in making Stone's character more sexy, cold, intelligent, and witty. Roos has mostly dealt in writing comedies, so Stone has several funny lines ("You're dead, this is heaven, and I'm the Virgin Mary."). Palminteri is good casting for the husband and in this film he's a lot more sadistic than the original. "Diabolique" will, if nothing else cause people to gain interest in seeing the original (if they haven't already). But it is a worthy remake that's definitely better than remakes like "Psycho" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning." Stone is sexy,
Adjani is superb, Bates is great, and Palminteri is perfectly cast. The script is pretty solid, it's a good companion piece to the original, and it's worth seeing.

GRADE: B+

The context has been unluckily erased.......2006-06-09

This is a remake of the black and white adaptation of Boileau-Narcejac's novel. The shift from the French context to the American decor is nothing but a change of settings and it adds nothing. But it is extremely well built as a thriller and this American version adds a clearly stated sexual relationship between the two main women, the plotters. It also emphasizes this feminine presence by making the « inspector » a woman, which is unthinkable in the French context of the 1950s. And this woman can become an accomplice in the final cover-up, the final assassination of the ressuscitated victim, out of feminine understanding. The context of this let's say prep-school for boys is hardly described and does not correspond to the original French school for delinquents. We never get this idea that the kids are imprisoned and that the school is a reservation for anonymous survivors ghetto-ised out of the social war that is raging outside. And that is such « schools » that both the conservative right and the socialist left are asking for in France right now to take care of suburban young rebels who call themselves barbarians or the natives of the republic, be they black, brown, grey or white, which does not in anyway matter.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Paris Dauphine & University of Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne

not bad for a remake.......2005-09-04

This version of a classic has been updated and pretty well.
Sharon Stone and Isabelle Adjani look so much like the main players in the original it couldn't have been a mistake casting them in this.
I don't know where the other reviewers are coming from. This is a story of cheating, lust, deciet and murder. Of course Stone is going to play that well. That is the momentum for the plot, without that, there is no story.
Having seen the original a number of times, all I can say is I wish they would have kept the original ending. It was by far better than this.
That is why I only gave it 4 stars.
Word to the wise.... if you like twisted mysteries that are convoluted, you should like this. But do see the original first, it's definitely worth it. This one is a decent remake.

STONE COLD STONE.......2005-07-03

Sharon Stone may be the distaff side to Mickey Rourke. These two performers know how to play sleaze and Stone once again provides a cold-hearted finish to her role in this mediocre version of the French classic. The movie might have had more oomph if they had cast someone other than Isabelle Adjani as her partner in crime. Undeniably beautiful, Adjani just doesn't have the cajones to hold up her end of the movie with the flashy Stone. Another factor is the miscasting of Chazz Palminteri as the worthless husband/lover. He is so wooden in his performance that his fate is neither cheered or jeered. Although the movie gets a boost from the appearance of Kathy Bates as the sly detective, even she can't bring enough life to justify this remake. So why three stars? It held my interest and kept me guessing for a while, but it's strangely convoluted ending doesn't really fulfill the plot's thrust. One plus is Randy Edelman's scrumptious score; it fits the movie perfectly.

Blame The Director-Not the Cast.......2005-06-27

With some of Hollywood's worst trash on his resume, Director Jeremiah Chechik gives us something slightly better than his worst ("The Avengers") and much worse than his best ("Benny and Joon"). This oddly unsatisfying 1996 remake of the classic 1955 French thriller illustrates Hollywood's ham handed ability to turn a classic suspense tale into a weak atmosphere piece. I say oddly because Isabelle Adjani and Sharon Stone are together on the screen for almost the entire film and the two actresses truly bring out the best in each other. So you have a long series of well-played scenes by fine actresses, but they are strung together into a slow paced story line that lacks unity and consistent motivation. Which could be caused by a lot of things but is most likely the result of trimming in post-production, in which important unifying elements were left on the cutting room floor. Or it could be that the director and production designer just failed to translate the writer's vision onto the screen.

Since this ultimately this is a story about an evil character who develops a sentimental side, it is absolutely critical that this process is communicated to the audience. The audience should not just be surprised by the ending but should be able to think back and see all the motivational pieces click into place. In this regard the movie is a complete failure.

Then there is the issue of cheating. Because we only know what he wants to tell us, a director has a variety of legit ways to introduce misdirection and surprise into a film. But occasionally a director lacks the integrity and vision to play by the rules. Such is the case here as only the audience sees the underwater shot of a clearly drowned Guy (Chazz Palminteri). It is shown to convince us that he is dead but this then makes his reanimation impossible. Plus it is fairly useless because you know that he has to come back for there to be much of a story. That is cheating and there is more cheating in the unintentionally comical climatic scene. The beauty of the original movie was the absence of cheating and the macabre irony of the ending. All that is missing.

Whatever, it means that the only reason to watch this version of "Diabolique" is for the acting of Adjani and Stone. Although Adjani was 40-41 years old when she made this film, she has lost little of her beauty. While she was probably the world's most beautiful actress in her twenties, there is simply no debate that she was the most beautiful 40 year-old in cinema history. Stone pretty much plays her hard-as-nails self but she is given some great lines and her character is a great contrast to the ethereal take Adjani gives to her own character.

If you are looking for a better but less obvious remake of the original "Diabolique", track down 1971's "Let's Scare Jessica To Death". This almost forgotten horror classic is truly scary. It has much better production design than 1996's "Diabolique", with creepy whispering and images that stay with you and creep you out even weeks later. Jessica is a woman recently released from a mental "institution" who goes to a farm in a quiet rural area. The odd locals and their local legends begin to mess with Jessica's head as her husband and his secret girlfriend attempt to scare her to death.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Average customer rating:

Confidence
Starring: Edward Burns , Morris Chestnut , Paul Giamatti , Jr. Tom "Tiny" Lister , and Robert Loggia
Director: James Foley
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
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ASIN: B000GRUMSM
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Average customer rating:

Huge disappointment
Homage to Hitchcock
Does this tooth abscess smelly funny to you?
Not worth it!
Perfect

The Spanish Prisoner
Starring: Campbell Scott , Steve Martin , Rebecca Pidgeon , Ben Gazzara , and Ricky Jay
Director: David Mamet
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: 0767818113
Release Date: 1998-10-07

Amazon.com essential video

Campbell Scott plays a green young technocrat who invents a secret and highly successful high-tech process that, it appears, most of the free world would like to get their hands on. His own company may not be dealing with him fairly, and competitors are lurking around every street corner and kiddie carousel in New York (not to mention Caribbean hideaways) hoping to steal, cajole, or trick him out of the formula. The plot is as full of switchbacks as a mountain highway, and the delights are in watching it unfold around Scott, who is not so much of a naif that he doesn't catch on that not only his formula, but his life, are in dire danger. Steve Martin is consummately assured--and scary as hell--as a wealthy big shot determined to come out on top. David Mamet's script is refreshingly free from his trademark mannerisms; it's his most satisfying film since 1987's House of Games. --Anne Hurley

Customer Reviews:

Huge disappointment.......2007-05-13

This film dealing with industrial espionage (the process involved is a McGuffin, since the movie never tells what is exactly about) starts well. However, as plot twist after plot twist accumulates, our interest wanes, and by the time the movie ends we just don't care anymore about what's going on. There is a final twist that is totally unbelievable since Steve Martin would have to anticipate the way that Campbell Scott would react to every situation. Finally, Campbell Scott and Rebecca Pidgeon might be the least charismatic screen couple ever. Their total lack of chemistry is the final nail on the coffin of this movie.

Homage to Hitchcock.......2007-05-12

Plenty of other reviews have summarized the plot and voiced concerns about the acting so I won't add to that. The acting isn't perfect, there are some "loose ends" and the dialogue takes some getting used to. But it's a brilliant film in many ways and very entertaining.

This is a fascinating film, despite its flaws. It's a must-see for Hitchcock fans (just like "Dead Again" with Kenneth Branaugh) for all the wonderful Hitchcockian touches Mamet inserts. The music, the camera work, all resemble Hitchcock's style. Hitchcock liked to include what he called "refrigerator scenes"-- that is, scenes that can't be easily explained. He said that people would go home and stand around the fridge talking about them and trying to figure them out. (The most famous is in "Vertigo" when the Kim Novak character is seen in a window but when the apartment is searched, it's empty and no explanation is offered.) Several scenes in this film qualify for that- how does the certificate transform? How did they pull off the restaurant/club thing? Also, Hitchcock was famous for his "MacGuffins"-- items which moved the plot along but really were nothing. (Again, a famous one would be the money that's stolen in "Psycho"- by the end of the movie no one cares about the money.) The "formula" appears to be a MacGuffin-- just something to get the story going- it really doesn't matter whether the formula exists, is a fake, or whatever. The discussion about the plane in the islands is another MacGuffin.

So why is it no longer available on DVD? C'mon Sony-- release it again please.

Does this tooth abscess smelly funny to you?.......2007-02-16

Although the setup for this movie's plot was interesting, the story gradually unravels in a mess of implausibility and a clunky climax. Campbell Scott is believable, but Rebecca Pidgeon's acting is painful to watch, and her reading of lines is amateurish and sounds too forced. (Perhaps her husband, director David Mamet, should make his next movie about the perils of nepotism.) It is unclear why her character would try to help Scott's character from being captured by the police, while continuing to lead him into their hands. There are countless holes in the plot, and the ending does not tie up several loose ends.

Not worth it!.......2006-10-03

The Spanish Prisoner had a great storyline but the acting was terrible. Not to mention the lightening in the film made it seem like a Lifetime movie (no offense). Rent at best, but not worth buying.

Perfect.......2006-09-30

Loved this movie. It had great mystery and tongue and cheek humor at the same time. I really don't want to give anything away because I knew nothing about this film when I saw it, which was great because there were so many twists that kept me completely interested throughout. The main character, Joe, can't trust anyone and you'll see why. Enjoy.

Average customer rating:

Wild thriller
Sexy classic thriller!!!
Wild Things
Neve Campbell should act more she's terrific
Two's a Company, THree's a Crowd . Sex Crimes 101 .

Wild Things
Starring: Matt Dillon , Kevin Bacon , Neve Campbell , Theresa Russell , and Denise Richards
Director: John McNaughton
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: 0767816234
Release Date: 1998-09-09

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Wild thriller.......2007-03-15

Sexy classic thriller!!!.......2007-01-27

Wild Things.......2006-11-11

Neve Campbell should act more she's terrific.......2006-08-28

Two's a Company, THree's a Crowd . Sex Crimes 101 ........2006-08-09

Average customer rating:

As in chess, you needs to see 20 moves ahead in the game
Brilliant - a jewel
The pieces of the puzzle just don't fit
Incredible Movie!
Stunning script with some peaks and lows!

Confidence
Starring: Edward Burns , Rachel Weisz , Morris Chestnut , Leland Orser , and Louis Lombardi
Director: James Foley
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
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15 Minutes (Infinifilm Edition)
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ASIN: B0000AGQ2E
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Product Description

When professional grifter Jake Vig (Edward Burns) chooses the wrong mark in The King (Dustin Hoffman), he is given two choices: pull off a near impossible heist or lose his life. Needing all the help he can get, Jake brings in beautiful con artist Lily (Rachel Weisz) and a mixed group of "professionals". Nonetheless, with The King riding him and a pesky Special Agent (Andy Gacia) on his tail, Jake and his team look to have the odds stacked against them.

Features:

Cast Commentary

Director Commentary

Writer Commentary

Sundance Channel Presents Anatomy Of a Scene

Deleted Scenes

Soundtrack Presentation featuring Music Videos

System Requirements:

Running Time 97 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Bathed in self-conscious cool, Confidence is a heist caper in which the heist is unimportant. As you might expect from Glengarry Glen Ross director James Foley, this pulpy concoction is more interested in giving good actors a lot of hip, salty dialogue as they scheme their way to the royal scam. It's a poor man's Ocean's Eleven, just as enjoyable in its own way, beginning when con artist Jake (Edward Burns) discovers he's accidentally stolen from an eccentric crime boss (Dustin Hoffman, oozing threat in a fine character turn). Promising to make amends by pulling the biggest con of his career, Jake adds a feisty pickpocket (Rachel Weisz) to his crew, which includes scene-stealer Paul Giammatti and Andy Garcia as a disheveled FBI agent (or is he?). With a cast like this you can't go wrong, but Confidence cons itself into thinking it's original, while Burns's abundant voice-overs state the obvious and plot twists unfold with minimal surprise. It hardly matters; Confidence may be derivative, but it's still recommendable. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

As in chess, you needs to see 20 moves ahead in the game.......2007-06-10

CONFIDENCE (2003) is a hit for audiences who can find a way in
themselves to laugh at the misfortune of those who make wrong
decisions, costing them thousands, purely from the blindness of their
greed, and engage in unusual business deals.

Although Edwards Burns is reminiscent of Ben Affleck, and Rachel
Weisz of Melanie Griffith, the charm they project to the cameras, is
natural, and convincing.

The editing is a strong point in this movie, because it keeps the
audience on its toes, the action upbeat, the attention spans wide
open as the story unfolds in a clear, understandable manner.

A lot of effort was put in the script, clearly, in terms of the
number of short funny phrases, and in the semi-serious narrative. As
said, there's a pleasure, excitement and personal presence projected
by every single one of the actors that raises the picture a notch or
two.

The soundtrack is upbeat, cool and brings a relaxation ambience to
the underlying action, very well done.

The filming is excellent, showing a wide spectrum of sharp sequences
indoors and outdoors, variety of pastel colors in a number of scenes,
contrasted with black and while in other moments, to change the mood
of viewers. The wide-screen brings a theatrical feeling to the home
viewer.

There's perhaps an excessive effort in educating viewers in
terminology , touching upon a mark, shill, roper, insider, score,
fix, Belize offshore, money laundering, setting up a shell
corporation, arranging for a loan, but this is not surprising
considering the need for a all viewers to accompany the action. The
subtitles may also help, for those not familiar with some jargon.

An unfortunate aspect, is the excessive comfort of the story teller
with the actual behavior being done, such that some might see it
condoned, from the lack of addressing the moral implications
involved.

Also, every single person in the movie seems to be on the take, which
seems unnecessarily unrealistic or simplistic.