Don't worry - no serious spoilers here. But better safe than sorry, right?
So it's another hitman film. But since it's from 2008, it was actually made before the recent spate of hitman films. The story has a few twists and turns, but the basic elements of the hitman-goes-straight cliche are all there.
Where the movie shines is in the fine acting all around. Tom Sizemore's personal demons aside, he always has been, and remains, a very fine actor. What his career might have been! And he is very good here. Sasha Alexander also does a fine job, and is very easy on the eyes, too. Supporting actors are outstanding, especially the underrated Jerry Hardin and Bill Smitrovich.
The directing and cinematography are efficient and more than competent. I wonder what ever happened to Mr. Goodman, as he does a fine job here, but it appears to be the last of only two films he ever directed, and nothing since 2008.
Where things fall apart are in the plot. Too many unbelievable elements, starting principally with Ms. Alexander's character.
No woman - and I mean NO woman - as drop-dead gorgeous, classy, intelligent and decent as her character, would be alone and lonely unless that is exactly what she wanted. In which case, the over-the-top way she just invites Tom Sizemore's stranger character into her life at the drop of a hat just does not ring true at all. It just wasn't at all believable to me. If she wasn't so gorgeous, or if she was nasty, or a drunk, or self-loathing, or dimwitted then **maybe ** I could buy it. But this woman was darn near perfect and would have had her pick of the litter years before Tom Sizemore's character ever showed up.
There were other unbelievable plot elements, such as the opening sequence, and a few threads were left untied. Not the worst story ever by any means, but not good enough for the acting to bring this above six stars for me.
So it's another hitman film. But since it's from 2008, it was actually made before the recent spate of hitman films. The story has a few twists and turns, but the basic elements of the hitman-goes-straight cliche are all there.
Where the movie shines is in the fine acting all around. Tom Sizemore's personal demons aside, he always has been, and remains, a very fine actor. What his career might have been! And he is very good here. Sasha Alexander also does a fine job, and is very easy on the eyes, too. Supporting actors are outstanding, especially the underrated Jerry Hardin and Bill Smitrovich.
The directing and cinematography are efficient and more than competent. I wonder what ever happened to Mr. Goodman, as he does a fine job here, but it appears to be the last of only two films he ever directed, and nothing since 2008.
Where things fall apart are in the plot. Too many unbelievable elements, starting principally with Ms. Alexander's character.
No woman - and I mean NO woman - as drop-dead gorgeous, classy, intelligent and decent as her character, would be alone and lonely unless that is exactly what she wanted. In which case, the over-the-top way she just invites Tom Sizemore's stranger character into her life at the drop of a hat just does not ring true at all. It just wasn't at all believable to me. If she wasn't so gorgeous, or if she was nasty, or a drunk, or self-loathing, or dimwitted then **maybe ** I could buy it. But this woman was darn near perfect and would have had her pick of the litter years before Tom Sizemore's character ever showed up.
There were other unbelievable plot elements, such as the opening sequence, and a few threads were left untied. Not the worst story ever by any means, but not good enough for the acting to bring this above six stars for me.