Way of the Gun

Ryan Philippe, Benicio del Toro, James Caan. Christopher McQuarrie, writer/dir. 2000, Artisan.

Another good movie if you like 'em rough and bloody. Several different characters with interweaving story lines - basically put, two small time hoods suddenly get into the big time when they kidnap the pregnant surrogate mother of a low-level (yet still pretty powerful in his circle) mobster - and all of this is set against the backdrop of the southwest desert (Arizona? California?) and eventually winding up in Mexico.

Gets better on repeated viewing as well - especially allowing us to appreciate more the interchange between the two bodyguards who were supposed to have protected our young pregnant lady - and the James Caan character, who is a "fixer," with all of the ominous images that entails.

Needless to say, there are plenty of twists and turns, and changing allegiances, and even though all of these people are criminals to varying degrees, you pretty much end up liking most of them - except for the mobster's trophy wife, who's a total B. And even though in the end there are more dead bodies than in a Shakespearean tragedy, we're left with a sense that everything turned out justly.

Overall, a very satisfying shoot-em-up, replete with great one-liners and gritty sarcasm.


VG