This is an unusual crime thriller in that it is advertised as a sort of comedy, well maybe for some people, whilst it starts with a humorous punch up, the jokes are sparse at best from there on in. The plot is about two crooked drifters who are basically opportunistic in their approach to making a dishonest living. Whilst waiting to sell their 'love juice' at a fertility clinic (for three thousand bucks!)they hear about a certain doctor who has an unusual client, an unusual client with lots of money and an important baby on the way.
This client is a wealthy man with dodgy business dealings that require him to have armed protection. His wife is too lazy to have a child for him, so they have chosen the surrogacy route. For a million in cash Robin (Juliette Lewis) is carrying his son. She is nine months gone, and our two heroes Mr Parker (Ryan Philippe) and Mr Longbaugh (Benicio del Toro) decide to kidnap her. That is when it all kicks off with car chases and plenty of gun play and oodles of intrigue.
This is more than a shoot out fest in that it has some well observed humour in a gallows sort of way. The plot is far from straight forward; in fact it almost feels contrived the further into it you go, just one coincidence too many I was thinking. However it all seems to work. We have real guns that actually run out of bullets (for a change) and when people get hit they hurt and or bleed. All of the supporting cast are brilliant, we have one guy who plays Russian Roulette with himself, the bagman is James Caan who puts in a compelling performance as a man who has out lived any real intrigue life can throw at him. Both Philippe and del Toro are as ever great value for money, but it is Juliette Lewis who pulls out all the stops and manages to steal more than one scene.
The plot has more twists than an Alpine road and enough action to keep most folk glued to their seat. It is just over an hour and a half so just right in timing; I think Christopher McQuarrie (screenplay for 'The Usual Suspects') has made a film to be proud of. Gutsy without the glitz, action without the showing off and a real examination of peoples psyche, this one is hard to categorize, but great to watch.
