Wick's Review

Summary - OK 2.5

Semi-funny and too precious for its own good, this comedy of disgrace asks us to warm up to loutish and sociopathic characters because they have their “normal” sides. They show occasional remorse, brush their teeth like normal people, one of them even has a normal family. The movie is like a British Sopranos, juxtaposing the sick exploits of modern criminals with their just-like-you-and-me sides. Unfortunately what worked well for Don Bayonne and his family comes across as too mannered In Bruges.

Acting - Good 3.0

Colin Farrell easily portrays an amoral crime soldier who’s also a lady killer. If Farrell’s career could consist of amoral lady killers, he’d be Olivier.

Brendan Gleeson proves himself a consummate character actor, while Ralph Fiennes slums effectively as a peculiarly standards-obsessed crime boss.

Jordan Prentice, 4’ 1" of obnoxiousness, personifies the dwarf stereotype.

Film - OK 2.5

The good news is that the movie isn’t slapstick, a misapprehension easy to assume based on the awful trailer that assaulted art house audiences early in 2008. Striving for droll, the movie comes across somewhere between silly and drab.

The movie does make effective use of its meager plot, doing a slow reveal of the protagonists sociopathic characteristics, and concluding with a satisfying ending.

Edge - Risqué 1.8

Several brutal murders are vividly shown, including the accidental shooting of an innocent victim.

Reality - Glib 1.2

1 Comment

• Wick Mar 26, 2008 9:33PM

  Great review Finks.

  I’ve avoided this movie because the trailer was lame, and then it seemed like it played before half a dozen other movies, so I got really good and sick of it.

  But now I’m thinking I should check it out.

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