Oxygen (1999)

Director:

Richard Shepard

Writer:

Richard Shepard (writer)

Release Date:

12 November 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A masochistic cop, who hides her predilection from her cop husband, gets involved in pursuing a kidnapper nicknamed Harry for Harry Houdini...

Plot Keywords:

Kidnapper | Nail | Husband Wife Relationship | Underwear | Bald

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Maura Tierney	...	Det. Madeline Foster
Adrien Brody	...	Harry
James Naughton	...	Clark Hannon
Laila Robins	...	Frances Hannon
Terry Kinney	...	Capt. Tim Foster
Paul Calderon	...	Det. Jesse
Dylan Baker	...	FBI Agent Jackson Lantham
Olek Krupa	...	Madeline's Lover
Frankie Faison	...	FBI Agent Phil Kline
Slavko Stimac	...	Det. Jerome Jerzy
Michael Henderson	...	Greg 'Handsome' Evans
Robert Shepard	...	Sal the Bartender
Eddie Perez	...	Scary Guy
Gene Canfield	...	Joe the Cop
Christopher J. Quinn	...	Chris the Cop (as Christopher James Quinn)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:18 | South Korea:12 | France:-16 | Germany:16 | Mexico:C | Peru:18 | USA:R | Argentina:13 | Italy:VM14 | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Abandon Pictures

Trivia:

Adrien Brody uses a knife at the end of the movie to cut Maura Tierney's character free from her restraints. This knife actually belongs to Adrien and has made its way into Summer of Sam (1999) as well.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the first car chase immediately after the small red car pulls in front of Harry and Det. Foster the passenger-side door panel can be seen smashed in. This is before any contact between the two cars.

Quotes:

Harry: Could you do me a favor? Would y'get in the car?
Frances Hannon: What?
Harry: Car. Get in the car. Francis... look at this.
[gestures toward gun]
Harry: Now will you get in the car? Get in the car!

Movie Connections:

References "Let's Make a Deal" (1963)

Excellent, intelligent film

In OXYGEN, Richard Shepard has refined his approach to character-driven crime thrillers first seen in his previous, also excellent film, MERCY. Armed with experience and a bigger budget, Shepard has wrested outstanding performances from Maura Tierney and Adrien Brody, in their best work to date. Both characters are quite believable, and their defects are gently extracted and displayed by the subtle script. There are no stereotypes or one-dimensional characters in the whole film.

This is not to say that this is some esoteric, art-house movie, suitable only for clove-smoking turtleneck-wearers. The action scenes are well-executed and edited. Camera work is very nice; the long Steadicam shot in the train is especially memorable. Tension holds on throughout, and even the asides (such as an FBI agent's humorous soliloquy about the death penalty) integrate well and don't distract.

I sure would like to see what Richard Shepard could do if given some Really Big Bucks.