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City of Industry (1997)

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15 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
"Noir" In The City, 21 April 2001

Author: jhclues from Salem, Oregon

In this contemporary film noir, two brothers with the same alma mater-- Folsom Prison-- discover something about loyalty and what `honor among thieves' really means, in `City of Industry,' directed by John Irvin. Lee Egan (Timothy Hutton) puts together a crew of four men, including his brother, Roy (Harvey Keitel), to take down a jewelry store in Palm Springs, California. If all goes well, they look to score a cool three mil in diamonds, and Lee has a fence in L.A. ready to move the merchandise. Lee and Roy are solid, as is Jorge (Wade Dominguez), the third member of the crew who is already looking at 2 to 5 in Folsom, having been convicted of carrying a concealed weapon. Jorge wants a quick score that will take care of his wife, Rachel (Famke Janssen), and their two kids while he's away. The wild card of the bunch is Skip Kovich (Stephen Dorff), their wheel man; he has a wild streak that emboldens him too much for his own good, a flaky girlfriend and some ideas of his own about how the split from the job should go down. Lee contends that it's going to be an easy score, with each man's share being `Not bad for a day's work.' But you can bet that anytime you have a `sure thing' it's going to turn out to be anything but, and this caper is, of course, no exception.

As is befitting the subject matter, the film is dark-- much of it takes place at night, or in rather seedy, industrial locales-- with a touch of artistic cinematography that gives a sense of urgency to the story. It quickly shifts from the posh atmosphere of Palm Springs to downtown Los Angeles and Chinatown, an environment through which you get a sense of who these guys are and what they are about. As Rachel says to Roy at one point, `You guys are all alike--'

As Roy, Keitel carries the film with the kind of credible performance we've come to expect from him. While this character is certainly not a stretch for him-- you've seen `Roy' many times before, played by Keitel and others-- he does put a unique stamp on him; he's familiar, but Keitel manages to avoid letting him slip into stereotype. And that is no easy task when you take into consideration that in reality a man like Roy would necessarily share certain traits with others of his ilk. What makes the difference is Keitel's consummate ability as an actor, and his concern with fleshing out the details of his character.

The role of Lee is something of a departure for Hutton, though similar to the part he played in `Playing God,' but with much more definition. He gives Lee a very `real' quality, the cool confidence of one who lives just beyond the fringe of what society deems acceptable. When he mentions that he's been in Folsom, it's believable. Dorff, meanwhile, is effective as Skip, a guy perpetually pumped and strung out, crazy-- but like a fox-- with an aura of menace about him that is nearly tangible. In attitude and style, Skip is reminiscent of Laurence Fishburne's two-fisted, gun toting Jump in `King of New York.' And Janssen gives a notable performance also, successfully creating the one character in the film with whom the audience can sympathize. You feel her desperation and the concern she has for her children's well being, which effectively adds valuable context to the story.

The supporting cast includes Michael Jai White (Odell), Lucy Liu (Cathi), Reno Wilson (Keshaun), Dana Barron (Gena), Tamara Clatterbuck (Sunny), Brian Brophy (Backus) and Francois Chau (Uncle Luke). A violent and stylish examination of the criminal element in our midst, `City of Industry' is a hard-edged film that presents the matter-of-fact way in which those who subscribe to a life of crime seemingly function within their own sect of society. It's a part of life many would just as soon deny in reality, but as Steve McQueen said many years ago in `Bullitt,' `That's where half of it is.' And a film like this is not about to let you forget it. I rate this one 8/10.

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12 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
A Great Guy's Flick, 6 September 2002

Author: bubbazanetti from Los Angeles, CA

In my book, this is one of the overlooked action classics of the 1990's. With solid production values and a top notch cast, and set against a sunny and seedy Los Angeles backdrop, this fast-paced story of desperate criminals driven by greed and revenge is the perfect vehicle for "Guy's Movie Night."

Harvey Keitel is at his best as Roy Egan, the hardened career criminal bent on avenging a double-cross by former partner-in-crime, Skip Kovich (played by Stephen Dorff, in his best performance ever). Also along for the ride are Timothy Hutton, the late Wade Dominguez ("Dangerous Minds"), and a very sexy Famke Janssen. As if this weren't enough, this movie is notable for providing the only film nude scenes of Lucy Liu (a brief role as Dorff's stripper ex-girlfriend), and Dana Barron (Audry Griswold in the original "Vacation").

Despite its occasional plot holes, this film gets better with repeated viewings. And for fans of what my Manly Man Movie Night associates have deemed "Keiteling" (the mandatory Harvey Keitel emotional and physical meltdown, e.g. the church scene in "Bad Lieutenant") it doesn't get any better than this. However, the film is quite violent, and I have not met many women who like it. Still, "City of Industry" belongs in the collection of any fan of revenge-based action thrillers.

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10 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Gritty, violent, tough guy Keitel tour-de-force, 27 May 2002

Author: George Parker from Orange County, CA USA

Keitel runs, walks, staggers, stumbles, and crawls through "City of Industry" to settle a score with fellow thief Dorff in this surprisingly entertaining but gritty and violent action/drama from the same mold as "Reservoir Dogs". Janssen plays a babe (what else?) caught up in the vendetta filmed in just about every seedy part of Los Angeles. Good stuff for crime buffs and Keitel fans into violent gangster-type flicks.

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8 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
... this is a sleeper ... time to wake up!, 13 December 2002

Author: elvismulder from santa rosa, california

the title "City of Industry" did nothing to sway me to watch this film. the cast brought me in to it's dark world, and i am forever greatful. harvey keitel first off - then i found a new femme fatale in famke janssen - then an incredible new villain in stephen dorff - and the list goes on, with an incredible film score and blend of unique artists, no superstars but viable musicians that make you want to hear more. note: after viewing COI the first time, the next day i bought the soundtrack album. since my first viewing, i play the soundtrack in my car going to work. i have watched this film approximately 50 times. i have turned many friends on to it. i still get an rush everytime i watch it. it is truly one of the great sleepers, probably because of the title. today, i think the title is very hip. but had it not been for the cast, i might never have seen this incredible film. truly one of keitel's best! the opening credits and charismatic music should lock you in for the ride of your life. once the film starts, you cannot stop watching! i compare this film to "American Beauty" in that i compare AB to "Panic" with william h. macy - another sleeper which has gone on to receive phenomenal post-acclaim. **** almost every review. if you can make it through the violence (it is brutal like "True Romance" - but not overly gratuitous - the violence is there for a definite reason}, i promise you that this film will leave an indelible mark on your mind and that you will never forget this film ever! it is, without a doubt, a movie to be remembered.

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Worth a watch, 24 May 2006

Author: The_Triad from Gloucester, England

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

City of Industry is a decent effort at a crime movie, and perhaps one the better of a bad bunch of these types of films that seemed to be on a production line since Pulp Fiction came out. We don't get much in terms of character here, well, we do but the two characters the film focuses on at the beginning... well, I'll just say they don't last long. The characters are setting up a jewel heist. They get Harvey Keitel's character, Roy Egan who is the brother of one of the two, and the "wildcard" character, Skip. The film then turns into a revenge film with Roy trying to track down Skip and get revenge and his money. Skip's introduction to the proceedings is an example of where the film fails, it tries to be too cool but it doesn't have the substance to back it up. Apart from this failing though, the film takes some risks that are worthy of note, such as deciding to focus the beginning part of the film on the two characters that get killed to advance the main plot. The film also has some nice LA locations, several murals are seen throughout the film for example, preceding Michael Mann's work on Collateral.

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
I am finding my judgment to be better than Ebert. HA!, 31 July 1998

Author: Nimbo from San Diego, California

Against my better judgment I just totally disregarded Gene Siskel and went for it. I just saw a magnificent motion picture. I will see it again. The locale scenes were absorbing.The plot was complicated but evident. One thing led to another. This will turn into a cult film. Yes, I voted 10 for City of Industry. Fine acting, fine filming, and a fine time. See it and then let me know..

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
As usual Keitel is exceptional, 29 August 2001
Author: Geofbob from London, England

I would describe Harvey Keitel's performance in this violent thriller as exceptional, except that he turns in such remarkable performances time after time. He plays Roy Egan, a veteran con helping his kid brother, Lee (Timothy Hutton), and two other desperados, pull a big jewel job in Palm Springs. The job goes well, but then one of the gang gets murderously greedy, and Roy goes into LA, after him and the loot.

The other element which lifts the movie from competent to first rate are the downtown and industrial locations. For once we see an LA not made up exclusively of lush areas like Beverly Hills on the one hand, and no-go ghettos like South Central on the other. At the same time, writer Ken Solarz and director John Irvin make good use of LA's ethnic mix, with both Chinese and Black gangs playing a part as Roy hunts his man. Hutton, Stephen Dorff, Wade Dominguez and Famke Janssen contribute solid performances, and Lucy Liu is also to be seen. The movie may descend into too much mayhem for some; and the sunny epilogue seems out of place; but this is a must-see for thriller-lovers.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
flawed action flick definitely worth watching, 14 August 1999

Author: Curtis Mark Stratmeyer (curtstrat@msn.com) from Bellevue, Washington

A must for Keitel fans (like me). There was some sloppy film making as noted by other reviewers here. It was if they had to film the whole thing in one day, and if the light was wrong, too bad. The plot was NOT complicated. This movie held my attention. Keitel, even when playing a caricature of himself (as Maltin says), is engrossing on screen. Look for Lucy Liu of TV's Ally McBeal fame.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
A good old formula heist flic done right., 12 February 2003

Author: mifunesamurai from Australia

It has a perfect set-up for character establishment followed by a few surprises and then the chase is on between the young arrogant Skip,(Dorff), and the old but wiser Roy, (Keitel). You may forgive the film as it falls into "tough guy with heart and romance for weeping woman" scenario but that's part of the genre. The perfect hard hitting gritty drama for a late, late night viewing to keep one awake.

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Keitel All the Way!, 30 March 2003
Author: Dave Gilbert from Baltimore, Maryland

This movie was written for Harvey Keitel, it fits him like a glove; and Stephen Dorff playing the antagonist, it is a perfect fit as well!!!! These two go back and forth like a Leonard-Hearns fight from the 1980's, blow for blow. There was a few slow spots, but all in all I highly enjoyed this film, I suggest giving it a view.

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