Review of The Osterman Weekend (1983) by Alex R — 07 Jan 2004

[font='Times New Roman'][color=#000000]Sam Peckinpah?s swan song is a confusing, confused action thriller based on Robert Ludlum?s book of the same name. John Tanner (Rutger Hauer) is a TV talk-show host who is accosted by a CIA agent (John Hurt) who tells him that his friends (Craig T.

Nelson, Chris Sarandon, Dennis Hopper) are really undercover Soviet agents. Hurt sets up inside Tanner?s home as the friends gather for a weekend (dubbed the Osterman Weekend after Nelson?s character) and Hurt? traps them? or something.

Frankly, the plot makes no sense. It?s complicated and convoluted beyond belief, the screenplay placing scene after scene without much sense of coherence. But, this is Peckinpah, and despite the overall overabundance (or absence) of plot, he hasn?t lost his touch.

The film?s best moments come in the action scenes, which showcase Peckinpah?s vintage style. The cast (which also includes Burt Lancaster as a diplomat whose purpose in the grand scheme of things is questionable) is top-notch and although they can?t quite make sense out of what happens, at least they make us want to watch.

Watchable, but don?t try to read too much into or make sense out of most of it.[/color][/font].