Review of The Underneath (1995) by Jwasu R — 19 Oct 2011

Ed Dutton: Michael, when you get to be my age you realize that sometimes the planets just don't line up. And there's nothing you can do about it. .

"For passion, betrayal and murder... there's still no place like home.".

First off, I haven't seen Criss Cross, so I'm judging this movie based only on itself. It's definitely my least favorite film from Soderbergh. The acting is bad and the dialogue is also horrible. Peter Gallagher, while by no means a terrible actor, just can't hold a movie like this up by himself. William Fitchner is good in his role, but it is still to small to make the movie any better for it. The worst acting comes from two women though, Elizabeth Shue and Alison Elliot. They made ever scene that they were in unbearable to watch.

Michael returns home because his mom is getting remarried. His new stepdad offers to help him get a job as an armored truck driver. It is pretty obvious what is going to happen from here. He's going to try to pull off a robbery. Along the way, he tries to rekindle his relationship with his ex-wife, who is now married to a crook.

The only saving grace in this film, is Soderbergh's cool little tricks that you see in all his movies. In the end, it isn't enough to save an overall worthless film. The movie meanders on at an amazingly boring rate for an hour and then decides to speed up for the last thirty. Then the plot gets all twisty and it just doesn't work. I didn't buy the ending at all.

Still, it's worth a look if you are a Soderbergh fan. If not, this definitely isn't going to make you one. It would probably just turn you against him more.