This is quite an atmospheric noir-thriller that moves at its own sedate pace, telling a story that could probably be told in a fraction of the time it takes here. That isn't intended as a criticism: it's a shame more films don't take time to take a look around and soak up the atmosphere a little instead of dashing toward its conclusion.
An incredibly skinny Sean Bean plays Brendan, an unemployed youngster who finds employment at a jazz club run by Finney (Sting). Finney is being pressured by thugs in the employ of American businessman Cosmo (Tommy Lee Jones) into selling his clubs so that the properties can be redeveloped. Getting this redevelopment accomplished requires the greasing of a few palms and other bodily parts which is where American waitress (and part-time hooker) Kate (Melanie Griffiths) enters the story. The lives of all four characters converge over a short period of time as the two businessmen clash and Brendan and Kate strike up a relationship.
Perhaps the film's main drawback is the way in which it relies too heavily on coincidence to get things moving: Brendan repeatedly running into Kate,for example, then sitting at the next table to a couple of heavies planning to 'hit' his new boss, Finney, etc. As we all know life doesn't work like that and, when it does occur so smoothly in a film, it tends to jar.
Actually, I'm wrong that's not the main drawback at all. The film's biggest flaw comes in a couple of the performances. Jones is as good as he always is, and Griffiths is passable, if nothing special, but the other two Bean and Sting - are pretty woeful. I've never been a fan of Bean, although I can't really pinpoint why. His performances are always workmanlike and uninspiring, but there are worse actors around who don't irritate me the way Bean does. It would be interesting to see how I felt about him if he ever delivered a performance worth writing positively about but then, that's probably not something I have to worry about. As for Sting, if his singing was as bad as his acting he'd still be playing the Geordie pub scene. I mean, I love the guy's music, but he's a Geordie who can't do the accent. It's no wonder his acting career stalled so long ago
An incredibly skinny Sean Bean plays Brendan, an unemployed youngster who finds employment at a jazz club run by Finney (Sting). Finney is being pressured by thugs in the employ of American businessman Cosmo (Tommy Lee Jones) into selling his clubs so that the properties can be redeveloped. Getting this redevelopment accomplished requires the greasing of a few palms and other bodily parts which is where American waitress (and part-time hooker) Kate (Melanie Griffiths) enters the story. The lives of all four characters converge over a short period of time as the two businessmen clash and Brendan and Kate strike up a relationship.
Perhaps the film's main drawback is the way in which it relies too heavily on coincidence to get things moving: Brendan repeatedly running into Kate,for example, then sitting at the next table to a couple of heavies planning to 'hit' his new boss, Finney, etc. As we all know life doesn't work like that and, when it does occur so smoothly in a film, it tends to jar.
Actually, I'm wrong that's not the main drawback at all. The film's biggest flaw comes in a couple of the performances. Jones is as good as he always is, and Griffiths is passable, if nothing special, but the other two Bean and Sting - are pretty woeful. I've never been a fan of Bean, although I can't really pinpoint why. His performances are always workmanlike and uninspiring, but there are worse actors around who don't irritate me the way Bean does. It would be interesting to see how I felt about him if he ever delivered a performance worth writing positively about but then, that's probably not something I have to worry about. As for Sting, if his singing was as bad as his acting he'd still be playing the Geordie pub scene. I mean, I love the guy's music, but he's a Geordie who can't do the accent. It's no wonder his acting career stalled so long ago