Shade (2003/I)

Director:

Damian Nieman

Writer (WGA):

Damian Nieman (written by)

Release Date:

12 March 2004 (Thailand)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Look Deeper.

Plot:

Shade is set in the world of poker hustlers working the clubs and martini bars of Los Angeles. The tale...

Plot Keywords:

Poker | Bar | Airport | Betrayal | Nightclub

Cast

Joe Nicolo	...	Ritchie
Carl Mazzocone Sr.	...	Older Wiseguy (as Carl M. Mazzocone, Sr.)
George Tovar	...	Paulie
Frank Medrano	...	Sal
Jason Cerbone	...	Young Dean Stevens
Mark De Alessandro	...	Hitman #1
Doc Duhame	...	Hitman #2
Shane T. Anderson	...	Hitman #3
Thandie Newton	...	Tiffany
Glenn Plummer	...	Gas Station Attendant
Gabriel Byrne	...	Charlie Miller
Mick Rossi	...	Club Patron #1
Sean Stanek	...	Club Patron #2
Holly Catarancuic	...	Girl in Hallway
Carl Mazzocone	...	Doorman

MPAA:

Rated R for language, violence and sexuality/nudity.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:R | Germany:16 | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Deep Nightclub - 1707 N. Vine Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Cobalt Media Group

Trivia:

Charlie Miller, Max Malini, Dai Vernon/"The Professor", Larry Jennings, Nate Leipzig and Jacob Daley are all famous sleight-of-hand magicians. In fact, nearly every major male character in the film is named for a sleight-of-hand magician.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the final game, when the camera looks at Vernon, we see Tiffany smoking behind him, apart from Miller. But when the camera shows Tiffany herself, we see she's right beside Miller.

Quotes:

Stevens: I was mucking cards since before you were born.

Movie Connections:

References The Color of Money (1986)

Soundtrack:

Goldberg Variations, BWV.988

Made in the Shade

If you're looking for a movie with lots of twists and turns, Shade delivers in spades. The film is full of misdirection, narrow misses and gradations of intensity. Though not a dark movie, the world we peruse (so artfully drawn by Mr. Neiman) is gritty and hidden is shadow. But it also delivers laughs. The soundtrack is excellent, truly complementing each frame and adding to the rhythm of the film. The characters are excellently executed: Stallone, Foxx, Byrne, Newton. But the movie is clearly owned by Stuart Townsend (hope he gets the kudos he deserves for this one). Performances by Bo Hopkins and Hal Holbrook were special bonuses. Both of these gentlemen perform so superbly that you forget they're acting. A delight to the very end, a must-see for anyone loving a good surprise.