Scenes of the Crime (2001)

A young man about to get married earns extra cash by driving a local mobster, but things go awry when the mobster killed by a rival crime boss.

Director:

Dominique Forma

Writers:

Dominique Forma, Daniel Golka,

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, Jon Abrahams, R. Lee Ermey

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Bridges	...	Jimmy Berg
Jon Abrahams	...	Lenny Burroughs
R. Lee Ermey	...	Mr. Parker
Mädchen Amick	...	Carmen
Morris Chestnut	...	Ray
Kerri Randles	...	Donna
Noah Wyle	...	Seth
Henry Rollins	...	Greg
Lombardo Boyar	...	Zeke
Kenny Johnston	...	Al
Peter Greene	...	Rick
Bob Gunton	...	Steven, Jimmy's Partner
Dominic Purcell	...	Mark
Robert Wahlberg	...	Arnon
Brian Goodman	...	Trevor

Storyline

Lenny Burroughs is a struggling auto mechanic who acts as part-time driver for local gangster Rick in order to earn enough to buy his own garage and pay for his upcoming marriage to Donna. Unbeknownst to Rick, his assignment includes kidnapping Jimmy Berg, an important gang kingpin who has robbed rival criminal Trevor Morrison of over $7 million dollars and killed three of his men including Kevin Milton, son of Morrison's partner. The plan is for Morrison to trade Berg back to his partner, Steve Wayne, in exchange for the return of his money, a million dollar indemnity, and a percentage of union municipal contracts which are very profitable for the politically savvy Wayne. However, something goes wrong. Rick contradicts Trevor's plans and seems to be following the agenda of an unknown third party by ordering Lenny to a side street instead of the agreed-upon location. When he leaves the van he's immediately run down by Wayne's men, who execute him gangland style. Fearing he'll be ...

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Plot Keywords:

mobster | deli | negotiation | auto mechanic | kidnapping | 

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Genres:

Thriller | Drama | Action

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and some strong sexual content

Details

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 August 2002 (Israel)

Also Known As:

Escenas de un crimen

Filming Locations:

Figueroa Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Battleplan Productions, Cinecrime, Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Trevor: Nothing cures offense like money.

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Connections

References Bullitt (1968)

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Soundtracks

"Whisper In A Hurricane"
Composed by Robert J. Walsh

User Reviews

A beautifully made film and no more

So what struck me the most about this film is the early morning light that was present throughout. It has that relaxing start-of-the-day feeling that compliments the low-key pace of the story and lack of action in what could have been a pretty brutal film. All the colors are muted as well, the sound track stays in the background, costumes are first-rate, interiors are high-end but restrained, and there are few wild interactions between any of the characters. Moderation in all things, suggesting a reality not based on everyday lives, but of a set of people operating in a parallel world not connected to our own.

Then there's the story. At several points, the Universe screams to a character to just walk away from all this and you'll be fine. The longer you stay the more trouble you're getting in to. It's "don't go down the basement," and what do they do? They go down the basement, of course (in the figurative sense). The ending? That is to say, That's it? The only thing the ending added was a change in style. For the first time, we saw a bright, sunny day with shadows and washed-out colors, perhaps to suggest going back to the normal world. But the actual ending. Gosh, there could have been so much more.

Good acting, good production, but the resolution is for the birds. When the main plot problem is resolved, and you'll know when it is, you can stop watching.