Double Whammy | ||||||
You know you're in trouble when a comedy opens with a massacre. And the film never quite recovers. It's an awkward mix of violence, romance and goofy comedy that never gels at all. Even when the story strands start to intersect. And even with the help of the above-average cast, which includes Buscemi as Ray's partner and Noth as his competition for a big promotion. There is some funny dialog here and there, as well as some inspired moments of comic silliness and even a bit of romantic chemistry, but overall trying to find laughs in personal tragedy isn't a good idea! Strangely, there is a germ of a great idea in here about healing past wounds, but DiCillo seems distracted by the zaniness, which is never dark enough to work with the violence in the plot. As a result it all feels superficial and vaguely endearing, but nothing more.
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dir-scr Tom DiCillo with Denis Leary, Elizabeth Hurley, Steve Buscemi, Luis Guzman, Melonie Diaz, Chris Noth, Donald Faison, Keith Nobbs, Maurice Compte, Otto Sanchez, Victor Argo, Kevin Olson release UK 18.Jul.03 01/US 1h30 Love on the rocks. Cute ... but there ain't no big surprise (Leary and Hurley) | |||||
Ze Barreto, Lisboa, Portugal: "This is a great black comedy for people with enough intelligence and sense of irony." (3.Jan.06) | ||||||
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