The Stickup (2001)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Rowdy Herrington

Writer (WGA):

Rowdy Herrington (written by)

Genre:

Action | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

It's a quiet little town where nothing happens - until the day the bank is hit for half a million dollars by a thief wearing a clowns mask.

Plot Keywords:

Mask | Clown Mask | Small Town | Police | Shootout

Cast

James Spader	...	John Parker
Leslie Stefanson	...	Natalie Wright
David Keith	...	Ray DeCarlo
John Livingston	...	FBI Agent Rick Kendall
Robert Miano	...	Lt. Vincent Marino
Alf Humphreys	...	Mike O'Grady (as Alfred E. Humphreys)
Tim Henry	...	Arlen Morris
Mark Holden	...	Roy Freeman
Scott Heindl	...	Steve Spizak
Alex Zahara	...	Tommy Meeker
Alvin Sanders	...	Harris
Cindy Maines	...	Female Teller
Karin Konoval	...	Dr. Alvarez
Christina Jastrzembska	...	Farm Woman
Chief Leonard George	...	Chief Samson Redcloud (as Leonard George)

Also Known As:

The Stick Up (USA) (trailer title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and violence.

Runtime:

Argentina:94 min | USA:97 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Certification:

UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Spain:13 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Hope, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Promark Entertainment Group

Glad I Didn't Miss This One

Once in a while you can win at the game of "remote roulette." I lucked out and caught this flick the other night while rather aimlessly looking for something decent to watch. It was being shown on a popular, premium cable network. It is a cops & robbers caper flick with more than a little twisting as it goes through its well designed plot steps with hardly any let downs along the way. I would categorize it as a black comedy-drama with a touch of noir. I thought that the dialog between the main characters, James Spader (Parker) and Leslie Stefanson (Natalie Wright)was reminiscent of Bogart & Bacall. James Spader, in my opinion, is one of the better actors in film today. It is a shame that real talent like his is not more fully recognized by the film industry, obsessed with redundant, lowest common denominator material suitable for sixth graders or special effects geeks whose every other word is "awesome." Leslie Stefanson's character is aptly named as she plays with skill and sardonic humor, a disillusioned small town girl looking for "Mr. Right." The supporting cast, particularly John Livingstone as FBI special agent Rick Kendall was above average. I just wish that there could have been a little more of the well played "Native Americans" who were involved in the story. Writer-Director Rowdy Herrington deserves praise for coming up with this low budget "sleeper" lost among the mainstream Hollywood trash currently inundating the theater and television screens of our entertainment challenged land. The authentic rural and scenic small town location creates an enchanting atmosphere that further adds to the quality of the film and even the jazz soundtrack I noticed under the closing credits was a winning pick. You will not be disappointed by this good one.