mrwinch

I read a three star review of this film and almost let it put me off going to see it. So glad I ignored that review, I would have missed out on masterful piece of film-making, that I would put alongside one of my faves "Goodfellas", for meatiness, clarity of heart, entertainment and seemingly uncontrived, original imitation of reality, as all great art is.

It was hard to catch every little nuance and eyebrow raised, code name, who was who etc., but overall that didn't matter, although this would make it worth seeing again to catch all of the details. Beautiful and moody to look at and experience. The music was perfect, the sound effects not overdone and anything visually overdone I absolutely condone in the movie, as it just added to the allure. During a gunfight scene the bullets sounded real, not heightened as so many film fight scenes are, by the sound department, which no doubt worked on it, but didn't oversaturate our ears to the point where we no longer cared or believed what we were seeing was real.

At no point was the audience insulted, a wonderful thing from an American mainstream movie. I could not drive a truck through the script holes, there were none of any worrying size.

I went on the journey with the characters which had no obvious conclusion, no clichéd and pointed plot devices, I was in no man's land with them, not knowing what would happen next. I loved and respect this movie for unseating my expectations thus making it more experiential.

I read that someone thought it was a disappointment for a Mann film, but to me, this is his best to date and he raised his own bar as well as movies of this genre in general. Great respect to Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell. The female lead was also exceptional and believable, slightly unreadable, as it should be, as were the relationships, technology and plot.

Don't hesitate to see this film.

I loved this film. I stumbled on the premiere in the 80's and thoroughly enjoyed it. Bought it on DVD recently and loved it just as much. Ellen Barkin's character is so lovable and Dennis Quaid is perfectly cast and perfectly charming. This is a totally lovable film but it also is of course, a cop drama, which is another very believable aspect of the plot. I found the drama part of it perfectly knitted together. To me though I am sold on the screen chemistry between Barkin and Quaid. The most genuinely erotic love scene ever, just a smidgen ahead of Lopez and Clooney in "Out of Sight". This film draws you in and on top if it all, thank goodness, it has a good heart.