BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Tayyab Torres Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Ed-Shullivan This is definitely a crime genre film with a dark message of violence and fear embedded throughout. The two big stars Willem Dafoe who plays detective Bud Carter of Louisiana, and Matt Dillon as ex-con Jesse Weiland play well against each others persona. The ex-con and hired killer Jesse Weiland gets trapped into becoming an undercover rat for detective Bud Carter to avoid a 200 year jail term and miss out on spending time with his devoted wife Lynn played by the sexy Amy Smart and their newborn son Tommy.Jesse used to work for the big hog Louisiana crime boss Lutin Adams played well by character actor Tom Berenger. As Bud Carter's informant Jesse provides more and more intelligence on the criminal activities of his crime boss Lutin Adams, the noose keeps tightening around Jesse and his vulnerable wife and son to become pawns in this dangerous game of chess. Jesse is fearless but he is not stupid, unless you start to wonder like I did why after a life of crime and killing he has no bankroll to support his wife and son?This is not as strong a storyline as the Godfather or Goodfellas, but it is an interesting macho crime story that kept me interested and not too disappointed with the way the film ends. I give this film a 7 out of 10 due to some strong acting performances by Willem Dafoe, Matt Dillon and Tom Berenger. It is well worth a watch for the seedy and dark location shoots and for being a decent crime genre film.

A_Different_Drummer ... and the answer of course is no.Since he first burst on scenes playing (not joking) Jesus, he has never been less than mesmerizing.(And his work in Shadow of the Vampire, 2000, never got the acclaim it deserved).I mention that because cops and robber movies have been around since the silent films but the performances of Dafoe playing against Dillon (never better here, strong physicality, amazing he never played bad guys before) is the heart and soul of this picture, and it keeps you glued to the screen.Interesting that they used a near-A lister like Amy Smart merely as eye candy, with almost no dialogue. Not that she was less than fetching, but it was an odd bit of casting.

Film Watchin Fool Why You Might Like It: The film has plenty of big names (Matt Dillon, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, Amy Smart) that all do a solid job in their roles. No one stands out as being amazing, but they all play their parts well. I thought the most impressive thing about the movie was that the stage is set very nicely by some great cinematography and scenery that seems to put you in the film. There is plenty of action, drama, and suspense to keep you entertained and it makes for a good crime/thriller film.Why You Might Not Like It: As mentioned, while the cast is well put together, I didn't feel any of them were outstanding in the film. I think the biggest downfall will be that viewers might expect this movie to better than the product that they view, but it is honestly just a slightly above average film in the crime/thriller genre. There is nothing about the film that is terrible, but not really anything that makes it stand out either.Acting/Casting: 6* Directing/Cinematography/Technical: 6.5*Plot/Characters: 6* Entertainment Value: 6* Total - 6+6.5+6+6 = 24.5/4 = 6.125*

LeonLouisRicci A Heavy Duty Cast of Crusty Hard-Asses make this Worth a Watch. The Film has some Intrigue and Attraction with its Nasty Criminal Underbelly and the Characters are Believably Bad. But what goes Wrong here is some Erratic Storytelling and a Final Shootout that is about as Common as Could Be.Based on a True Story the Neo-Nazi Element is Only Touched on in a Few Throwaway Lines and Tattoos with a Flag off in the Corner as the Camera Passes by. The Turning of the Key Witness is also Awkward at Times and the Criminal Kingpin and His Lawyer/Lobbyists are never quite Fleshed Out to Satisfaction.The Climactic Gun Blazing Confrontation is a Big Easy Letdown with Bad Guys and Good Good Guys just Showing Up and Dropping Dead. Overall an Unsatisfactory True Crime Entry that is Neither Awful or Very Good but Passable.