Gun Shy (2000) User Reviews

" Fear is the other's guy's problem, . . Unfortunately, I'm the other guy! "

[thinker1691 · 6/10 · 14 March 2011]

Liam Neeson was once a truck driver for a beer company, whether or not he was any good is a matter of conjecture. Fortunately, for movie audiences around the world, his talent for acting on the big screen has superseded and today he is known as one of the finest thespians in show business. Take this film for instance, it's called " Gun Shy. " In this story, he plays Charles 'Charlie' Mayeaux (pronounced - MAYO) a field operative working for the D.E.A. His job is to take on the big drug cartels and put them out of business. However, a bad experience in his last encounter with the drug lords, got him so shook up, it left him with a confidence problem, which has created a noticeable fear of death. So much so, he has begun seeing a therapist. In the meantime, his job continues and he must go undercover to confront the Columbia drug cartel and the America mafia, which could get him killed. Oliver Platt, is a gangster with anger management issues, José Zúñiga and Michael DeLorenzo play Columbian operatives out for the big score or big hit, whichever comes first. If that were not enough, Charlie must also attend Group therapy with Richard Schiff and other problem oriented patients. Mitch Pileggi, interestingly plays Dexter Helvenshaw a corrupt agent. Although there are several parts of the film which exercise Neeson's great gifts for interaction, most of the movie scenes are hampered with too many issues and little cohesion and this makes for awkward moments. Still, it's a good and interesting film and one which makes for entertainment and isn't that what movie making is all about? ***

Stressed out

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 6 February 2006]

No wonder Charlie, the man at the center of the film is suffering from the pressures of his job. He has too many things to worry about and all his problems affects his stomach functions producing funny noises at the worst moments. What's an undercover man to do? He gets involved more deeply into trying to do a decent job and in the process, he falls in love with the woman who understands what has to be done to relieve his symptoms.

Erik Blakeney has written and directed a film that should have been seen by a wider audience, yet, this movie came and went without fanfare. It deserved a better fate because of the funny screen play Mr. Blakeney created and the wonderful cast that was gathered for the picture. The problem seems to have been in the marketing. This is clearly not a Sandra Bullock vehicle at all!

Liam Neeson and Oliver Platt are about the best thing going for the movie. Liam Neeson's Charlie is one of the funniest roles he has done in his career. Mr. Neeson tends to gravitate toward more dramatic fare, but as Charlie, he proves he is an accomplished comedian. The same goes for Oliver Platt who plays a bad guy interested in domestic activities such as cleaning a messy kitchen, or even thinking about a life in Italy growing tomatoes.

The minor roles are equally good. Jose Zuniga and Micahel DeLorenzo are hilarious as a pair of gay drug dealers. Sandra Bullock doesn't get as many opportunities in the movie, but she is seen in the pivotal role of Judy. The group therapy sessions involving Charlie and other law enforcing people are fun to watch.

Erik Blakeney shows he can do good work if only he could have the right studio people behind him.

great sublime satire...

[tripperM · 7/10 · 21 February 2001]

what is wrong with this film? absolutely nothing. the story is MORE believable than analyze this to which this has been compared but there is no comparison-they're both great movies in there own right and totally different genres. analyze this is a straight up fantastical farce where gun shy is a dramatic romantic comedy more in the same vein as whole nine yards (but done much better). the soundtrack is excellent (you can't lose with tom waites!)the editing is wonderful(liam's "perception" in the 1st scene is hysterical) and the storyline flows.

charlie and fulvio's developing fiendship shows insight to the harshness of choosing a dangerous perfession and being born into it. either way you look at it, they are just two guys that hate their jobs just like the guys in the group sessions. wheather your a cop, thug, banker, lawyer, or stockbroker; life gets to a point where it all blends into an unfulfilling mess and you feel as if your drowning.

i noticed a lot of negitive reviews and am surprised at that. (like the gay thing-no one in this film is what they seem - get it?) maybe this is too complicated of a movie for everyone to enjoy. maybe hollywood has been putting out too much mission impossible eye candy that thinking about a movie and an underlying concept just shouldn't be expected anymore. this is a funny, sweet, real film. give it a chance.

Slapstick Mixed with Psychology

[gradyharp · 4/10 · 27 February 2006]

GUN SHY is a peculiar movie, one that purports to have a significant storyline but one that splinters ideas all over the place, leaving the viewer wondering what all the fuss is about.

'Charlie' Mayeaux (Liam Neeson) is a bummed out DEA agent fresh from a bungled case yet given an important assignment to break a Columbian drug cartel represented by Fidel (José Zúñiga) and his boyfriend Estuvio (Michael DeLorenzo). Also caught up in this mélange is the Mafia represented, however reluctantly, by Fulvio Nestra (Oliver Platt), a nerdy but vicious bungler whose temper is uncontrollable, partly due to his insipid belittling wife Gloria (Mary McCormack) whose father demands Fulvio's crime life importance. Charlie is a mess, meets a psychologist who introduces him to group therapy (where Charlie idiotically relates all the DEA secrets openly) and to gastroenterology where nurse Judy (Sandra Bullock) administers a barium enema then other more herbal-sided treatments while she and Charlie become bonded. People are maimed (gunshot castration), killed, made to look foolish, all to the end of supposedly belly laughs on the part of the audience.

True, Neeson shows a flair for comedy and Platt manages to convey a breakthrough role for him, but the rest is a jumbled mess. Made in 2000 with the Twin Towers of New York frequently visible during talk against Arabs and the Middle East, it is easy to see why the timing of this 'yet another Mafia vs law' film contributed to its short theater run (how many have even heard of it?). But in the final analysis it probably failed on its own merits - sad for a film filled to the brim with very fine actors. Grady Harp

A good movie with a twist of lime....

[SnowYs · 7/10 · 28 May 2001]

I personally thought this film was good. 7 out of 10. I thought the acting was very good. But I have to admit the plot was interesting. Unusual. Different. But that is why I liked it. It wasn't like every other gangsta, mob, shoot 'em and kill 'em film I'd seen. There wasn't 60 minutes of blood and gore. Which I am glad about: there is too much in this industry anyway.

So if you want a movie that is a little different. And maybe even a bit unusual, go to your local video store and rent Gun Shy.

Great cast wasted

[FlickJunkie-2 · 3/10 · 27 June 2000]

This is a classic example of how a good cast can't save a bad writer/director. Someone must have called in a lot of favors to get this cast paired with Eric Blakeney in his first feature film. The story was ininspired and the directing was awful.

This film attempts to be a cross between ‘Donnie Brasco' and ‘Analyze This' and is a poor imitation on both counts. The comedy was sophomoric slapstick and just didn't fit well with the police story. At times I wasn't sure whether Blakeney intended this to be a lampoon of cop movies or a comedy cop caper. It doesn't really matter. It didn't work either way.

It was incongruous to see actors like Liam Neeson and Sandra Bullock in a film with such a low budget look and such poor direction. The dialogue was eyerolling bad. Blakeney tried to be clever, but just succeeded in making a fool of everyone, especially himself for writing this tripe.

Liam Neeson was miscast in this role. He is a great dramatic actor, but a comedian he will never be. Sandra Bullock didn't really have much to do here other than bring another name to the marquee. Oliver Platt was the closest thing to providing saving grace to this film as he was consistently funny.

Eric Blakeney and Hollywood Pictures should be tried and convicted for actor and audience abuse with this film. I rated it a 3/10. Even Neeson and Bullock fans will want to miss this one.

A Poor Fry

[Chrysanthepop · 17 January 2009]

'Gunshy' tries to mingle too many things into one and fails. There's the whole 'psychology' aspect, the friends-with-the-gangster theme, the thriller aspect and so on and all try to be part of one story. Blakeney's fails to give it the energy and slickness that it needed. The story drags too much. The romantic track between Judy and Charles is poorly developed. Liam Neeson demonstrates a flair for comedy but it is Oliver Platt and Mary McCormack who steal the show. Their scenes together are some of the best moments of the film. I was also amused by the sequences that involved Charles and his group therapy buddies and the final sequences with the two gay Colombians. Sandra Bullock does not get much scope (ironically, she produced the film). In addition, I loved the soundtrack which is an impressive eclectic mixture.

Thin, Thin Fun

[dromasca · 7/10 · 10 June 2002]

This is the story of a neurotic anti-drug agent, who has to go on with his job, against his fear and his instincts. Good premises for a situation comedy, good actors - however the overall impression is one of disappointment. Not even the stars in the credits can save the movie from getting deep into incredibility and vulgarity. What a waste for talents like Bullock and Nelson.

"Shy" away from this one

[elvis45687 · 3/10 · 21 February 2000]

This movie was so full of inconsistencies.

(Warning, part of the ending is going to be revealed).

The biggest one being the ending when a mafia crime boss fails to show up to steal twenty million dollars as earlier planned in the movie. No reason is given why this change in plot occurs. Also, one character in the movie goes from being straight to suddenly gay just for comic effect...very poor indeed.

Give it a chance, watch the whole film.

[jgum · 6/10 · 8 July 2006]

My wife and I had never heard of this one. We happened to see the summary on the TV "satellite summary screen" and were intrigued. With the cast list containing both Liam Neeson and Sandra Bullock we though we could give it a try.

We nearly turned this one off after the first 30 minutes. We commented that it was no wonder we'd never heard of it before. I was personally worried this would be another Bullock movie like Hangmen, a TRULY horrific flick, but that's another story.

At the beginning the plot was all over the place. But the acting was good and soon after this we both started liking the characters. By the end we were both happy we stuck it out. The movie isn't about the guns and violence. Very nice for a change.

This movie could help folks get a little perspective on their lives.

Terrific Cast, excellent concept, but...

[Mac60 · 4/10 · 21 August 2000]

the script never lives up to it's potential. A DEA agent who's lost his nerve, is in group therapy, and who's dating his nurse all while attempting to seal a multi-million money laundering scheme has lots of comic possibility. Sadly much of the promise never materialises and while there are a few laughs here and there...good ones too...over all a real disappointment. Neesan and Bullock are wasted and Platt, who is arguably one of the best character actors on the planet, deserved better than the choppy and uneven character he was given. Watch it to see the cast, the story is average at best.

Brilliant but poor marketing...

[b_blakeney · 10/10 · 2 May 2004]

This gem hit box offices in 2000, though there's a large chance that you were sick the day it was in theaters.. Disney mistakenly bills this as a Sandra Bullock romantic- comedy, which it isn't... If you want to see Sandra Bullock in a cutesy role, go see "Miss Congeniality". If your tired of one-track crap like that, come see Gunshy. This is an honest, funny view of what happens when Liam Neeson's character, a former DEA golden-boy, starts getting job-related panic attacks... Add Oliver Platt as a high-strung gangster with marital problems, Jose Zuniga as a secretly-homosexual drug lord, and group therapy, and the result is GUNSHY, a smart, wicked, sweet, fast, and funny look at the modern gangster flick. You won't be disappointed... 10!

Give this one a second chance

[Sef-7 · 7/10 · 24 February 2001]

Gun Shy is the story of a drug bust gone bad and the agent who has been caught in the middle of a world gone crazy. He falls in love when he least expects it, finds friends in a very unlikely group, and manages to keep going despite the circumstances.

This is a wonderful farce that happens to contain some really talented actors. Most notably Liam Neeson, who has been seen most recently as Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I (1999). He plays Charlie, an undercover DEA agent who is going through a nervous breakdown. Oliver Platt who most recently caught my attention as Hector Cyr, an eccentric expert on crocodiles in Lake Placid (1999). Oliver plays Fulvio, the son-in-law of Italian Mobster Don Carmine Minetti. Sandra Bullock plays Judy Tipp, a nurse who takes ailing Charlie under her wing. Honorable mention in the movie goes to Mitch Pileggi, who does an excellent job portraying the somewhat shallow character of Dexter Helvenshaw, one of Charlie's superiors.

I must say I had never heard of director/writer Eric Blakeney. He has a great wit, lets hope he produces more. I found many scenes in this movie very compelling. One in the middle of the movie stands out.

Fulvio (Oliver Platt) comes home after a particularly stressful confrontation and enters the dingy, cluttered kitchen of the home he shares with his wife, Gloria. They are not having a good time of it and she angrily tells him he better shape up. She storms off and you expect him to blow up. He has that mad gleam in his eyes. He seizes a knife... ...and then throws it in the sink and starts cleaning the kitchen frantically, not stopping until it is spotless. Priceless.

Too much bathroom "humor"

[Gattino · 2/10 · 12 July 2000]

I love Liam Neeson--I've seen nearly every movie he's ever been in. I'm curious about his life, and I buy the magazines he's featured in. But I NEVER, EVER needed to see him sitting on the toilet suffering with diarrhea. GROSS. Or passing gas. Or getting an enema. Or, for that matter, being weak and whiney. Nothing about his character in this movie is compelling, and it is a waste of his awesome talent. Also, he looks pale in this movie.

Sandra Bullock plays the one imensional, wacky, unconventional sex kitten. The only interesting scenes are the opening ones, some of which reminded me of The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. One positive thing: the music is good, especially the inclusion of Tom Waits music.

Bottom line: Don't bother.

This movie gets funnier each time I watch it. "Spoilers"

[mofoto22 · 7 October 2004]

I really didn't like this movie that much the first time I watched it. But when you watch a movie more than once, that's when you notice the little things; and the little things are what set a movie apart from every other run of the mill Hollywood manufacturing.

This movie isn't supposed to be a typical action comedy. This movie is a lesson in taking control of your life and realizing that everyone else is at least as unhappy as you are, that also happens to be pretty funny.

I think my favorite character is easily Fulvio. Fulvio will kill someone just for looking at him the wrong way, but all he really wants to do is grow tomatoes like his grandfather. He's about to cut the neighbor's hand off stealing his newspaper, but all he does when he comes home from a bad day is clean the kitchen.

Personally, I think the movie is well done. If you don't like it the first time, try it again, you might catch something that you missed previously.

A bit too silly. And few good jokes.

[imseeg · 5/10 · 16 May 2022]

Liam Neeson in a silly comedy? That didnt work out too well.

The bad: this story is simply too silly for my taste. There is a limit to how much silliness I can stumach and this movie crosses that line.

More bad: it's lacking in good jokes as well, although some of the dialogues are quite witty.

Not any good? It has it moments, but only a few good moments. I think actor Oiver Platt was the real comedy actor that made me smile a few times. The rest of the acting performances were mediocre.

The story: Liam Neeson plays an undercover cop, who has gotten anxiety attacks. Will going to a therapy group and getting treatment by a nurse (Sandra Bullock) cure his fears?

analyze this style

[geo555 · 7/10 · 3 July 2000]

In the beginning the film was a bit boring but as it went on it got better and better. I find it quite amusing with a good end. I think it follows the style of analyse this, grosse point blank and other movies where a contract killer or mafia guy , in this case an undercover agent starts pursues therapy. If you liked any of these, go watch it.

Nothing else to do in bus queue

[khatcher-2 · 1/10 · 3 November 2002]

Gone are the days when Liam Neeson participated in some decent films like The Mission (1986)(qv), Schindler's List (1993), Nell (1994), Rob Roy (1995) or even The Haunting (1999): today he is lined up for all the worst possible outcomes, like any other Keanu Reeves and such like: indistinguishable from anybody else queueing up for a number 57 bus in southern London.

Such is this apology of a film; I only put it on as the first channel was showing the 111th flick with Sylvester Stallone being a tough guy, and a US-Mexican coproduction with some bloke doing more or less the same with lots of blood and gore thrown in for bad measure. Liam Neeson with an always sexy Sandra Bullock seemed more attractive, though not much; I should have got a book off the bookshelf... Too late now to feel sorry for myself, or even for Liam and Sandra.

Any silly attempts at touches of humour were so badly done that they had the subtlety of walking into a cement wall at over 8kph (which is about 5mph for you lot over there). Such that after about eleven and a half minutes one cannot help thinking that Liam Neeson must have had severe tax problems somewhere and had no choice but to throw himself into this mindless charade. If I had known I might have lent him a few pennies/pesetas/lira/cents, so that he could at least have thrown himself into Ms. Bullock's arms without the camera looking on. Then, I suppose, I would have been spared the torture of excrutiating belly-ache watching this total waste of time for everyone concerned in making it and afterwards watching it.

When a few moments of pseudo-imitation Morricone-styled music turned up I almost threw a flower-pot of my wife's at the screen, but refrained from doing so for two very unquestionable motives: one, my wife would not speak to me for weeks (which might just be a blessing in disguise), and two, given the present rate of Dollar-Euro, it would cost me nearly a thousand of either to replace it with a new set.

Who said that watching the cathode tube was one of the most effortless of occupations? Well, he was wrong, precisely because trying to stomache this kind of tripe requires enormous strength of character, patience and supranatural effort.

So save your money on buying/renting this one and send it to your favourite non-government organization. You will be doing far more good to somebody in the world and neither Liam nor Sandra will notice or care.

Cute, funny, but somewhat unrealistic...

[levin1 · 6/10 · 15 January 2001]

Despite its flaws, I enjoyed the picture. There was enough comedy to make me forget about those minor details overlooked during the production. I liked the "group therapy" tie-in, and thought that its purpose later in the film was interesting, but a little predictable. Overall, Neeson gave a strong performance, and Bullock played herself. I would give it **1/2 (on a four star scale).

Well, Sandra Bullock's nice...

[daninthemix · 5/10 · 3 July 2001]

This starts out as an interesting concept, but gets more and more absurd as it progresses - with the ending feeling contrived and unsatisfying.

The title and cover art promise a decent amount of action - but you don't even get that.

By far the best thing is that Sandra Bullock is superb - funny, a great actress...did I mention stunning?

A few nice ideas, but overall unsuccessful as a comedy, or an action film.

Sandra Bullock was Charming in this Film

[whpratt1 · 7/10 · 16 October 2005]

Enjoyed this film greatly, Liam Neeson,(Charlie), showed his great acting abilities in both comedy and drama through out this film. Charlie needed help in many ways and went to a head shrink and his group therapy friends managed to help him with Columbian drug lords and the mob, when things started to fall a part for Charlie. Charlie ran into Judy Tipp,(Sandra Bullock), who went along with his crazy ideas and got his mind off his problems by going to bed with her and making love quite often. There are scenes where Judy Tipp manages to get a tug boat in order to rescue Charlie and all his weird friends aboard. There are great helicopter pictures of Manhattan and the great skyline and our former Twin Towers. Sandra Bullock directed this picture and made this a very entertaining film. Enjoy!

A marginally funny spoof about an undercover DEA agent

[=G= · 5/10 · 10 September 2000]

Neeson is a top undercover DEA agent suffering from loss of confidence and flatulence. In this nominal comedy, he is caught in a crossfire between a Colombian cartel, an Italian Mafia, and DEA corruption. Can his gastroenterologist's beautiful assistant (Bullock) bail him out? That's the question the film sets up and then answers with lots of tongue-in-cheek humor. Neeson, Platt, and Bullock manage to shore up this marginally funny flick and make it worth watching. Barely.

And You Thought You Had It Tough?

[fabfemfatale · 8/10 · 11 April 2002]

Stress. It comes in many shapes and sizes, to many totally different people. Liam's character, Charlie was stressed to the max, but who wouldn't be, if your life is always on the line because of your chosen profession. Working for DEA, not the job for me, working for the Columbian Cartel, not for me, working for the Mafia, again, NOT FOR ME. Put these three groups of people together to launder money with an over the top type from wallstreet and you get a movie with a wonderful story line and an even more incredible ending. OLIVER PLATT, I LOVE YOU!!! He is one of Canada's best exports and very believable in whatever part he plays. Sandra Bullock shines in her character and turns out to be what Liams character, Charlie needs, period. The Columbian "lovers" cracked me up. I was reading other user comments and read that the script was non consistant because one minute the character is showing pictures of his wife and kids, but really he's gay. MANY men keep that part of themselves hidden in a homophobic world, especially when your father is one of the heads of the Colombian Cartel. The group therapy sessions, show that all people go through stressful moments, dosen't matter who you are. I recommend this movie to people who have suffered from stress, anxiety, and or depression. We're not alone!!!

How raised Tomatoes properly!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 3 January 2018]

If you consider a just a Oliver Platt's character the movie pay for itself, he is a odd and a interesting case for psycho analysis, trying raising tomatoes properly, Liam Neeson is another case, he has fear, Bullock doesn't encrease nothing, neither in sexy scenes, overhall the movie gets some funny moments and survive most of all for Platt's performance and a lot of stupid gangster!!

Resume:

First watch: 2017 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7

A Bit Boring

[mustican · 5/10 · 21 October 2007]

Reviews on Gun Shy might be slightly misleading to me especially people with the same movie taste with me, as I don't think Gun Shy should get full stars or marks. I think it was just an okay film with lots of up and down moments. What I mean with that is it was not a gripping film from start to end.(Gives opportunity to people who likes to doze off in movies)

Gun Shy tells us the story of an undercover DEA AGENT(Liam Neeson)who is almost killed by gangsters. He only wants to retire but reluctantly accepts a final job. Being stressed up he starts therapy and he also meets with a quirky nurse(Sandra Bullock)whom he falls for in another treatment.Meanwhile, his final case brings him into contact with Fulvio Nesstra(Oliver Platt)an insanely violent mobster with a surprisingly tender side. Fulvio's secret passion is his failing tomato garden.

Liam Neeson and most of the cast look uncomfortable and lost in their roles. I only found Sandra Bullock better than the rest only in terms of acting not producing part.Contains frequent strong language, scenes of a sexual nature and some strong violence. ** out of *****