A career bank robber busts out of jail (Clooney) with the help of his buddy (Rhames) and kidnaps a US Marshal (Lopez) in the process. When the two cons head for Detroit to pull off their final big scam, the Marshal is put on their case but she finds she is attracted to one of them and has second thoughts about bringing them in.Written by
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The character of Jack Foley appealed to George Clooney, because as a boy, his heroes in crime films were always the bank robbers. He liked "the Cagneys and the Bogarts and Steve McQueen. The guys who were kind of bad who you rooted for, and when I read this, I thought this guy is robbing a bank, but you really want him to get away with it." See more »
Goofs
In the car crash with Glenn Michaels, Karen Sisco hits her forehead on the left side, but in the hospital the right side of her forehead is bruised. See more »
Quotes
Jack Foley:
I know a guy who walks into a bank with a little glass bottle. He tells everyone it's nitroglycerine. He scores some money off the teller, walks out. On his way out, the bottle breaks, he slips on it and knocks himself out. The "nitro" was Canola oil. I know more fucked-up bank robbers than ones who know what they're doing. I doubt if one in twenty could tell you where the dye pack is. Most bank robbers are fucking morons.
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Alternate Versions
The laserdisk/DVD versions contain the following deleted scenes.
The original trunk scene, much much longer with extra dialog, different lighting and more wriggling.
Moselle is teaching Snoopy's dog "Tuffy" to do tricks with a Frisbee while Snoopy is watching boxing on TV. Glenn calls to tell Snoopy about the Ripley job and then steals a car from a gas station.
In a bizarre scene in the Adams Hotel room, Buddy and Jack talk about the feeling you get when you take a bath.
Karen gets a lecture from her dad about relationships while he fishes ocean debris out of his jetty.
Extended scene of Karen questioning Adele.
In the yard at Lompoc, Ripley talks to Foley about fish.
Glenn, Snoopy, Kenneth and White Boy Bob talk in the car after the transsexual murder.
We see the rather gruesome transsexual murder scene. Ray Cruz talks to Karen who spots Glenn's broken glasses on the floor.
Ripley is released from Lompoc and we see him packing stuff from his cell and saying goodbye to Foley.
After the job "interview" at Ripley's office building, Foley smashes a large fish tank with a paperweight shortly before being thrown out by two security guards.
Foley and Buddy talk in the hotel after Foley has returned from his "socializing" with Karen
Putting ski masks on in the van before the Ripley job. White Boy Bob tells a story about leaving his wallet behind at a break in.
Great film. The characters seemed believable. The dialog well written, sharp, but not overly polished, no character has a monologue. How often in the 90's do we see a thriller, or crime mystery, or a buddy film, all components the film plays with, and would consider a discussion about the script? Leonard has a way with the practical aspects of crime, the fist fight and shoot outs are awkward, characters miss their mark more often than not, they run out of gas. How often in an action film does the hero miss a shot? I'm sick to death of wildly unbelievable stories, huge explosions and car chases. The photography is very well done and the soundtrack is fantastic. Of particular note is the editing, of which the film received an oscar nomination. One of the best love scenes in a contemporary film. What you hope you get with an adult crime movie, sleek, smart and sexy.
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Great film. The characters seemed believable. The dialog well written, sharp, but not overly polished, no character has a monologue. How often in the 90's do we see a thriller, or crime mystery, or a buddy film, all components the film plays with, and would consider a discussion about the script? Leonard has a way with the practical aspects of crime, the fist fight and shoot outs are awkward, characters miss their mark more often than not, they run out of gas. How often in an action film does the hero miss a shot? I'm sick to death of wildly unbelievable stories, huge explosions and car chases. The photography is very well done and the soundtrack is fantastic. Of particular note is the editing, of which the film received an oscar nomination. One of the best love scenes in a contemporary film. What you hope you get with an adult crime movie, sleek, smart and sexy.