Reindeer Games (2000)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

John Frankenheimer

Writer (WGA):

Ehren Kruger (written by)

Release Date:

25 February 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The trap is set. The game is on.

Plot:

After assuming his dead cellmate's identity to get with his girlfriend, an ex-con finds himself the reluctant participant in a casino heist.

Plot Keywords:

Casino | Prison | Car Thief | Prison Riot | Heist

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Ben Affleck	...	Rudy Duncan
James Frain	...	Nick
Dana Stubblefield	...	The Alamo
Mark Acheson	...	Mean Guard
Tom Heaton	...	Ugly Staffer
Isaac Hayes	...	Zook
Michael Sunczyk	...	Distant Inmate #1
Douglas Arthurs	...	Distant Inmate #2 (as Douglas H. Arthurs)
Dean Wray	...	Guard #1
Ron Sauvé	...	Guard #2 (as Ron Sauve)
Ron Jeremy	...	Prisoner #1 (as Ron Hyatt)
Hrothgar Mathews	...	Exit Guard
Charlize Theron	...	Ashley
Clarence Williams III	...	Merlin
Donal Logue	...	Pug

Also Known As:

Deception (UK) (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, language and sexuality.

Runtime:

104 min | 124 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Brazil:18 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Malaysia:18PL | Malaysia:U (cut) | Iceland:16 | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | USA:R (NO. 37239) | South Africa:16LV | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Chile:18 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Germany:18 (director's cut) | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Philippines:R-18

Filming Locations:

Lion's Gate Studios, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

The character names Rudy and Nick are an allusion to the song from which this movie takes it title. Nick (St. Nicholas) orchestrates the entire plan, only to have Rudy (Rudolph) lead it.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the cafeteria, at the beginning of the movie, a crew member and camera are visible on the far left side of the screen (Widescreen, director's cut).

Quotes:

Jumpy: It says here the retail industry does 50% of it's business between December 1st and December 25th. That's half a year's business in one month's time. It seems to me, and intelligent country would legislate a second such gift giving holiday. Create, say, a Christmas 2, late May, early June, to further stimulate growth.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Slim Shady Show (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

Festive Medley

Are you game?

After being imprisoned for six years on a grand theft auto charge, Rudy Duncan(Ben Affleck) and his cellmate Nick (HILARY AND JACKIE's James Frain) are finally going to be paroled. After hearing endless stories during his incarceration of Nick's romantic correspondence to a woman named Ashley he has never met (CIDER HOUSE RULES's Charlize Theron), Rudy is looking forward to returning to his family and having a fresh cup of hot chocolate. When Nick is killed during a prison riot, Rudy decides to assume Nick's identity upon release from prison and meet up with the unknown woman. Burdened with a base knowledge of Nick's Indian casino employment past, Rudy finds himself in too deep with Ashley's brother Gabriel (Gary Sinise) and is violently forced to cooperate with a casino robbery that Gabriel and his gang have been planning with Nick in mind.

From an original screenplay by Ehren Kruger, REINDEER is very much in the same vein as his last script ARLINGTON ROAD. While much more of an action film than the paranoia drenched ROAD, REINDEER holds it's deceptions very close to it's heart as well. Who can you trust, and for how long? Helmed by esteemed director John Frankenheimer (THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, RONIN), REINDEER seems keenly aware of it's inane story, yet he keeps pushing the proceedings along briskly, trying to keep this casino heist plot afloat with good actors and a passable script. It's fun just to watch this tale unfold. All the professionals involved know this material isn't CITIZEN KANE, but as action films go nowadays, REINDEER's restraint is it's most endearing aspect. No pop culture references, not too many exploding fireballs, and Frankenheimer keeps the edit count down. REINDEER GAMES is a far more classy film than it's brethren.

It takes some time to get used to Ben Affleck as a tough ex-con. His baby face and peanut brittle voice do little to sell him as an action hero. As REINDEER trudges along, you get used to watching him act tough. It isn't the best performance that's come out of him (I'll save that honor for DOGMA), but Affleck is a likable enough guy and makes Rudy a character you want to see save the day. Imagine an aging lead vocalist for a Black Sabbath cover band and you'll have an idea what Gary Sinse looks like in REINDEER. He always makes a great passionate villain, but this time he takes his appearance one step further and actually looks like a threat. Charlize Theron keeps improving as an actress, but it is her new brunette look and honey smile that one takes away from her performance. She looks lovely in the snow, but not too much presence beyond that. The whole cast is somewhat stuck with Kruger's elementary script, and they all try hard to overcome it. It ends up being their individual charms that make REINDEER come out a winner.

I liked REINDEER GAMES for the throwaway Christmas thriller that it is. Taking advantage of the topical Native American casino boom and deliberately waltzing away from many clichés, GAMES is a pleasure to enjoy. We need more of these. ----- 8