Greetings again from the darkness. Yes, it is cool to see Deniro and Pacino on screen together again and it's inexcusable that it didn't happen a few more times over the years. But cool casting alone does not make a movie. Director Jon Avnet ("88 Minutes", "Fried Green Tomatoes") and writer Russell Gewirtz ("Inside Man") have discovered that.
On a bright note, Avnet somehow managed to avoid the whiny, screaming Pacino that we have been subjected to so many times these past few years. Instead we get a guy drifting through the film as if drugged like a hyper-active child. DeNiro on the other hand does all he can do to be the tough, aging cop. We are treated to the facials, hand gestures and top notch line deliveries that we have come to expect.
The two legends are joined by rival partners John Leguizano and Donnie Wahlberg, who are convinced that Deniro's Turk is a serial killer. Their captain in this is the rarely seen Brian Dennehy. DeNiro's character somehow is hooked up with the department ME played scorchingly by Carla Gugino, who in real life would undoubtedly be cheating on her multi-millionaire husband and not working for a living. Almost as a story line toss-in, rapper 50 Cent plays a drug dealing club owner who tries to play ball with the cops. Also want to mention that Alan Rosenberg has a small role and offers a reminder of his skills, which have been rarely seen since he became President of SAG.
The film has many twists and turns and diversions, but there really is no doubt who the serial killer is. The video of DeNiro apparently confessing to the crime was actually a good idea and some of his best work. As with "88 Minutes", I am just not pleased with Avnet's directorial style. The attempts to shoot cool shots and toss in some quick focus just give it the look of someone trying too hard to be Scorcese. Still, it is worth seeing for DeNiro but you probably won't be surprised.
While certainly watchable, this one is just not quite as smart as it tries to be.
On a bright note, Avnet somehow managed to avoid the whiny, screaming Pacino that we have been subjected to so many times these past few years. Instead we get a guy drifting through the film as if drugged like a hyper-active child. DeNiro on the other hand does all he can do to be the tough, aging cop. We are treated to the facials, hand gestures and top notch line deliveries that we have come to expect.
The two legends are joined by rival partners John Leguizano and Donnie Wahlberg, who are convinced that Deniro's Turk is a serial killer. Their captain in this is the rarely seen Brian Dennehy. DeNiro's character somehow is hooked up with the department ME played scorchingly by Carla Gugino, who in real life would undoubtedly be cheating on her multi-millionaire husband and not working for a living. Almost as a story line toss-in, rapper 50 Cent plays a drug dealing club owner who tries to play ball with the cops. Also want to mention that Alan Rosenberg has a small role and offers a reminder of his skills, which have been rarely seen since he became President of SAG.
The film has many twists and turns and diversions, but there really is no doubt who the serial killer is. The video of DeNiro apparently confessing to the crime was actually a good idea and some of his best work. As with "88 Minutes", I am just not pleased with Avnet's directorial style. The attempts to shoot cool shots and toss in some quick focus just give it the look of someone trying too hard to be Scorcese. Still, it is worth seeing for DeNiro but you probably won't be surprised.
While certainly watchable, this one is just not quite as smart as it tries to be.