Director: Paul McGuigan.
Screenplay: Jason Smilovic.
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Lucy Liu, Stanley Tucci, Danny Aiello, Kevin Chamberlin Mykelti Williamson, Dorian Missick, Robert Forster.
The biggest thing I remember hearing about this film upon it’s release was the mentioning of Ben Kingsley’s Knighthood on the film poster. This seemed to create quite a stir, as professional credits don’t normally include this. It transpired that is was all just a mistake but it overshadowed the film itself. A shame really, as this is quite a tight little mystery/thriller.
Arriving in New York to stay at a friend’s apartment, Slevin Kelevra (Josh Hartnett) finds that his friend is missing and owes money to two very dangerous criminals – The Boss (Morgan Freeman) and The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley). Added to which, Slevin finds himself mistaken for his absent friend and soon involved in a lot of trouble with them both. With the help of his friends neighbour Lindsey (Lucy Liu), Slevin tries to clear up the confusion.
I’ve always been a sucker for films that twist and tease, keeping you perplexed and forcing you to keep up to speed. I like it when the script has actually been given some attention and one that demands the attention of the viewer. This is that type of film. It keeps you guessing and is not without a dark and lightness of touch either. It helps when there’s an impressive cast assembled also and each of the performers involved here deliver fine pieces of work. Seeing old hands Freeman and Kingsley play off one another is a particular highlight. Ultimately, it’s the convoluted nature of the story that impresses most though. Screenwriter Jason Smilovic and director Paul McGuigan add substance and style to the proceedings and keep you at just the right distance from the characters’ motivations. However, intricate and clever films also face the danger of becoming too loaded. For the most part, this film is a success but the denouement is a little muddled. For a film of this type to work, it needs to have a pay-off and this does have a satisfactory one. The only problem is, it has one too many. Without revealing too much, the fate of a prominent character seems like it’s been tacked on and stinks of studio involvement, letting down an otherwise intricate and cleverly constructed film.
A satisfyingly convoluted crime yarn with an impressive and eclectic mix of actors. However, the unravelling is a major demerit. Well… that and Willis’ ridiculous hairpieces.
Mark Walker
