Review of The Way of the Gun (2000) by Paul L — 22 Apr 2008
Make sure you are ready to watch this movie attentively. It harbours subtle connections that will only reveal themselves to a careful eye. And yet it also has a couple of amazingly originally-set action pieces: one, a car chase that happens at about 10mph and yet keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time; and the other a suspenseful (and surprisingly coherent) final shootout that manages to be mordantly funny at the same time.
Just the scene-chewingly foul cameo by Sarah Silverman in the opening scene is worth the effort to catch this first directorial outing from the writer of The Usual Suspects. Icing on the cake comes in the form of topnotch performances from Benicio Del Toro and Ryan Phillipe, as two dangerously-down-on-their-luck losers who get wind of an exciting kidnapping opportunity while donating at a sperm bank.
James Caan's turn as a world-weary but still hard-as-nails bagman makes for some awesome moments and some interesting choices. (No, Caan did not really have back problems while shooting the film.).
This review of The Way of the Gun (2000) was written by Paul L on 22 Apr 2008.
The Way of the Gun has generally received mixed reviews.
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