heist gone bad with some fine acting twists
Added 8/29/2009
There is nothing that interesting about the plot of this film, which is about a group of losers who plan a disastrously stupid caper while drugged out. Like his coeval Tarantino, it descends into horrifically graphic violence and chaos. The art of total catastrophe. This is an early film, much like Reservoir Dogs for Tarantino.
That being said, the acting is outstanding. Delphy is wonderful as a student hooker, tossing her gum before servicing her client. Stolz too is perfect as a man with a chaotic life looking for the big score. But Angalde is the best as an insane, AIDS-ridden addict turned killer. Unfortunately, the plot is so weak and conventional that they cannot carry it. I was just waiting for it to end once the violence started.
Recommended tepidly. I was really disappointed after hearing many rave about it as a cult favorite, etc.
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Improbable? Yes Great? Yes
Added 8/3/2009
This is a bank heist movie. You know, there's a safecracker, blueprints, a plan. Problem is the gang doing the heist is made up of assorted druggies and wackos. Wackiest of all is the gang leader, Eric (Jean-Hughes Anglade). Anglade put about 200% into this role.
Injected into the robbery is Zed (Eric Stoltz), Eric's childhood friend. Apparently they were close, but they haven't seen each other in eleven years. Eric lives in Paris and he invites his American safecracking buddy to France for the big job. If the story seems to be thin, that's because it is.
Zed comes off as the "good bad guy" so adored by script writers. That is, he winches at random violence, but doesn't mind robbing a bank. In the film's beginning he hires Zoe, a prostitute. Turns out she is also an aspiring artist/part-time bank employee. She is very convincingly portrayed by Julie Delpy. The Zed-Zoe connection is at the heart of the matter.
I found the film to be highly entertaining. It builds to a powerful conclusion. There's a lot that is over the top and wildly improbable. But it still works.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Art House Exploitation
Added 11/12/2008
Okay. Yes, I did take a chance on this "sleeper" because of the names attached. ie. Tarnatino and Roger Avery (the co-everything of 'Pulp Fiction'). I was not disappointed. The acting, the direction, the story: all perfect. I'd recommend this film to anyone.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Cool movie
Added 1/3/2008
I love this film with all it's humor & drama. One of the best films Stoltz have made.
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A classic in its own right
Added 3/17/2007
Eric Stolz is invited to be the safe-cracking specialist for a bank heist
in Paris, doomed from the start. Jean-Hugues Anglade is the ringleader of
a chaotic gang of bankrobbers-for-one-day. Julie Delpy, appearing divine
as always, is the hooker that Eric orders right after landing.
This movie has "cult classic" written all over it, and after more than a
decade it has lost none of its acuteness in portraying a generation that
doesn't even care about being desperately lost. Abundant drugs permeate
the story, but drugs alone can't fully account for everybody's apathy.
If you want to watch a quality film for a change, settle for this dvd
and immerse yourself in its atmosphere, its snippets of authentic French
dialogue, and its palpable nihilism. Great soundtrack, too.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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heist gone bad with some fine acting twists
Added 8/29/2009
There is nothing that interesting about the plot of this film, which is about a group of losers who plan a disastrously stupid caper while drugged out. Like his coeval Tarantino, it descends into horrifically graphic violence and chaos. The art of total catastrophe. This is an early film, much like Reservoir Dogs for Tarantino.
That being said, the acting is outstanding. Delphy is wonderful as a student hooker, tossing her gum before servicing her client. Stolz too is perfect as a man with a chaotic life looking for the big score. But Angalde is the best as an insane, AIDS-ridden addict turned killer. Unfortunately, the plot is so weak and conventional that they cannot carry it. I was just waiting for it to end once the violence started.
Recommended tepidly. I was really disappointed after hearing many rave about it as a cult favorite, etc.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Improbable? Yes Great? Yes
Added 8/3/2009
This is a bank heist movie. You know, there's a safecracker, blueprints, a plan. Problem is the gang doing the heist is made up of assorted druggies and wackos. Wackiest of all is the gang leader, Eric (Jean-Hughes Anglade). Anglade put about 200% into this role.
Injected into the robbery is Zed (Eric Stoltz), Eric's childhood friend. Apparently they were close, but they haven't seen each other in eleven years. Eric lives in Paris and he invites his American safecracking buddy to France for the big job. If the story seems to be thin, that's because it is.
Zed comes off as the "good bad guy" so adored by script writers. That is, he winches at random violence, but doesn't mind robbing a bank. In the film's beginning he hires Zoe, a prostitute. Turns out she is also an aspiring artist/part-time bank employee. She is very convincingly portrayed by Julie Delpy. The Zed-Zoe connection is at the heart of the matter.
I found the film to be highly entertaining. It builds to a powerful conclusion. There's a lot that is over the top and wildly improbable. But it still works.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Art House Exploitation
Added 11/12/2008
Okay. Yes, I did take a chance on this "sleeper" because of the names attached. ie. Tarnatino and Roger Avery (the co-everything of 'Pulp Fiction'). I was not disappointed. The acting, the direction, the story: all perfect. I'd recommend this film to anyone.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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