Suicide Kings (1997)

A group of youngsters kidnap a respected Mafia figure.

Director:

Peter O'Fallon

Writers:

Josh McKinney (screenplay), Gina Goldman (screenplay)

Stars:

Christopher Walken, Denis Leary, Sean Patrick Flanery

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mark Watson	...	Doorman
Christopher Walken	...	Carlo Bartolucci / Charlie Barret
Denis Leary	...	Lono Veccio
Nina Siemaszko	...	Jennifer
Jay Della	...	Bartender (as Jay Fiondella)
Henry Thomas	...	Avery Chasten
Sean Patrick Flanery	...	Max Minot
Nathan Dana Aldrich	...	Marcus (as Nathan Dana)
Jay Mohr	...	Brett Cambell
Jeremy Sisto	...	T. K.
Frank Medrano	...	Heckle
Brad Garrett	...	Jeckyll
James Peter 'JP' O'Fallon Jr.	...	Kid #1
Nicholas Huttloff	...	Kid #2
Trent Bross	...	Maitre D'

Storyline

Ex-mob boss Christopher Walken is kidnapped by a group of four kids in a haphazard attempt at paying the ransom for another, separate kidnapping. Complexities arise as the group cannot seem to do anything right.

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Plot Keywords:

mobster | ransom | beating | mafia | rich kid | 

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Taglines:

Their plan was perfect... they weren't.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Thriller | Crime

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and language, and for some nudity and drug use

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 April 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Asi in suicid

Filming Locations:

Fire Station 23 - 225 E. 5th Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$558,081, 19 April 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,692,872, 12 July 1998

Company Credits

Production Co:

Live Entertainment,Dinamo Entertainment,Eyes 'n Rice

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

With the exception of the "Mickey Mantle" speech, Denis Leary improvised all of his dialogue.

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Goofs

When Heckle and Jekyll get the phone call telling them that the ransom money is ready, Jekyll's apron disappears and reappears between shots.

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Quotes

Ira Reder: [as Brett picks up the phone to dial] It will show up on my old man's bill.
Brett Campbell: Ira, you're unbelievable. What do you want, a fucking quarter?
Ira Reder: He will know we were here!
Brett Campbell: [smashes vase] Well, you know what, now he's gonna know we were here anyway!
Ira Reder: It's an aniversary present!
Brett Campbell: Good, fag. Pick it up.

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Crazy Credits

The credits run like scratched up film is going through a projector (similar to the beginning of the film). The movie ends/post credits with this scratched film burning up and melting.

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Connections

References Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)

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Soundtracks

Marlene
Written by Joy Eden Harrison
Performed by Joy Eden Harrison
Courtesy of Manifesto Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Dark, yet oddly funny

I taped this movie on the USA Network at three o'clock in the morning, watched it some time afterward, and I was blown away by this film. Former gangster Carlo Bartolucci aka Charlie Barrett (Christopher Walken in one of his best roles ever) attends a bistro where he finds that a group of swaggering young men, consisting of Max (Sean Patrick Flanery), Avery (Henry Thomas), Brett (Jay Mohr), T.K. (Jeremy Sisto), and Ira (Johnny Galecki), have taken over his usual booth. Charmed by the guys, Charlie takes them for a ride, only for them to knock him out with some chloroform while going down the Queens tunnel in a hilarious sequence. Charlie regains consciousness inside of Ira's mansion taped to a chair with one of his fingers missing, having been cut off to compensate for Avery's kidnapped sister's missing limb. The guys keep Charlie prisoner in the mansion, but soon, Charlie starts to play head games with them, and it soon becomes obvious that there is a traitor in their midst.

This darkly humorous crime thriller can be described in the most simple terms as "The Breakfast Club" meets "The Godfather" or something like that, even though I myself never saw "The Godfather." Walken is increasingly laughter-provoking, suave, and creepy all at the same time as he delivers witticism after witticism despite his usual situation. Four of the lead males (Henry Thomas, Jay Mohr, Sean Patrick Flanery, and Jeremy Sisto) all portray swaggering rich boys, while Johnny Galecki (David from TV's "Roseanne") is screamingly funny as the nitpicking nerd of the bunch and Denis Leary is his usual laid-back self as slick and wisecracking gangster Lono (what a funny name!).

I said it once and I'll say it again -- "Suicide Kings" is a darkly comical film, but it is highly recommended (for those with kids) that you watch this either late at night or while the kids are away.

I give "Suicide Kings" a 10 out of 10 on a scale of 1-10 in my humble opinion.