ViewGuide

Created Sep 11, 2009 08:26PM PST • Edited Dec 17, 2016 11:00PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   Little seen yet worth seeking out for fans of hard-bitten crime stories and charismatic acting, this recent crime thriller suffered from a studio divorce but emerged a very good movie nonetheless. A passel of great stars – Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane, Thomas Jane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt – easily bring to life yet one more interesting Elmore Leonard story. What’s not to like?

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   Wow cast.

   Mickey Rourke long ago proved the master of quiet menace. Here as a world-weary hitman, he’s compulsively watchable and listenable. His sotto voce delivery never loses its charismatic appeal.

   Joseph Gordon-Levitt nimbly plays a Kid Wacko type who hooks up with him. The kid’s got game, given this killer performance and his charming turn in 500 Days of Summer.

   Diane Lane always pleases. Beautiful, soulful, capable: She easily sells the modern damsel-in-distress role she plays here.

   Thomas Jane, once a Punisher now well Hung, ably plays the ex-husband who’s good in a fight. That’s him in the WikChip demonstrating his action chops.

   Other notables:

   • Hal Holbrook opens the movie, always a good sign.
   • Rosario Dawson spices up what could have been the throwaway part of gun moll.
   • Richard Zeppieri nicely plays the hotheaded mafia scion.

5. Male Stars Really Great 4.5

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Great 4.0

10. Film

    Good 3.0

    A bit choppy, yet admirably terse at just 95 minutes, the film shows familiar archetypes in interesting situations. Apparently the Weinstein Company wasn’t able to do the film justice coming out of the Disney divorce. Pity, given the pedigree and professionalism of director John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) and writer Elmore Leonard (3:10 to Yuma, Get Shorty, and about three dozen other hard-bitten classics).

11. Direction Very Good 3.5

12. Play Very Good 3.5

13. Music OK 2.5

14. Visuals Good 3.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Sordid 2.6

17. Sex Titillating 2.0

18. Violence Fierce 2.5

19. Rudeness Profane 3.4

21. Reality

    Glib 1.2

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.5

23. Biological Glib 1.6

24. Physical Natural 1.0