Kelly WandBound
September 12th 2006 01:16
This film is one of the great gems of nineties cinema but, the trouble is, I don’t want to tell you too much about it. I can tell you that it pretends to be a lesbian variation on the old “Postman Knocks Twice” theme but it resolves itself in a different way. Set against the backdrop of the Chicago underworld, this modern day Noir will make you glad you have a DVD.
As Violet, Jennifer Tilly runs a nice line in black haired Monroe. She sounds like she fell off the stupid tree (hitting every proverbial branch on the way down) but her preferred bedtime reading is probably “The Art of War” or perhaps a little something about the Machiavelli or the Borgias. She’s married to Joe Pantoliano who plays mob under-boss Caesar. Caesar is the kind of vile little turd you’d find under rocks or in a 1930’s Warner Brothers’ flick. He’s a short, compact bundle of rage who must be over compensating for a really small dick. Here, thanks to an ‘R’ Certificate, he runs a nice little sideline involving separating enemies from their digits.
You might remember Joe from the Sopranos. He played Ralphie. Yeah. The little shit who liked being fucked up the arse with a dildo by Tony’s sister. You remember him now? Caesar is like Ralphie’s smarter, more focused, shithead cousin. You wouldn’t want to meet him in a dark alley. You wouldn’t want to meet him; full stop.
Gina Gershan plays Corky, the impossibly beautiful plumber coming straight off of a five year stretch in the Big Dolls House. We could almost forgive her for “Showgirls” except some people don’t think there is anything to forgive for that particular cinematic effort. (I, myself, am in two minds on the subject. If ‘Showgirls’ is as serious as it seems to take itself then the movie stinks. If it was actually meant as the absurdist comedy piss take it ends up being, I’m all for it. It is more like a John Waters’ film than John Waters himself.)
Corky’s doing up the apartment next door and it ain’t too long before Violet is dropping her wedding ring down the drain so Corky can help her find it. Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink. Say no more. Suddenly, two million bucks is sitting on the table and Violet’s got this plan, see. We’re gonna be rich, see. Rich beyond dreams of avarice, see. And the only thing standing in our way is Caesar.
You think you know where this is going, chump? Even if it was, it’s a wonderful web of twist and turns to be led down on the way to the end credits. Directed by the Wachowski Brothers (who would next make a little film called “The Matrix”) it is a well written film with an amazing visual style.
Trust me. This is a good one. It’s an offer too good to refuse.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
This is hands down the best Wachowski brothers film IMO.
Tight, well structured screenplay, thoughtful cinematography and entertaining performances.
A tremendous modern day noir that belongs right beside the Coen Brothers Blood Simple.
Having Gina Gershon in their just adds to the rewatch value for me.
Comment by Bob Short
And Gina....
well, let us say no more lest I drown in my own drool.