The of the Gun (2000)

The big selling point for The Way of the Gun is the fact that it was written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the guy who wrote The Usual Suspects. Benicio Del Toro and Ryan Phillippe star as two low-rent criminals who fall into a plan to kidnap a surrogate mother (Juliette Lewis) who is carrying a baby for a very wealthy couple. The duo are immediately in over their heads, and their kidnapping plot brings to light the dark and hidden tendrils of the old man's family structure. It also brings on lots of gunfights and lots of blood. McQuarrie creates some good action sequences (particularly the slow-moving car "chase" through the alleys), but that only serves to emphasize the one major weakness of the film: the script. Though it's chock full of macho declarations, shootouts, and "surprise" revelations, the core story is ultra-predictable. That wouldn't be so bad if there were any characters to care about, but only a supporting performance from James Caan elicits any kind of sympathy. This is merely a movie based on violent movies, with no additional commentary. Then again, McQuarrie does do a nice job with much of the action. Though nowhere near as good as The Usual Suspects, particularly in its story, The Way of the Gun is a promising debut for McQuarrie as a director. --Andy Spletzer Amazon.com

Hard hitting, unusual thriller - great stuff!

The man who wrote "The Usual Suspects" would be expected to deliver well, and he did. This is a terrific, tense and blazing film. The acting is strong and the script a harse, tense ride. This is a great movie & superb entertainment.
August 22, 2008

Contemporary western with Benicio at his best

This movie got me hooked on Benicio del Toro. The subtle dialogue between he and Ryan Phillippe is priceless, and if you like a movie with less dialogue and more suspense (i.e. No Country for Old Men) then give this a try. June 8, 2008

Brutal

"Way of the Gun" was directed by Christopher McQuarrie who has the film "Valkyrie" coming out soon. I found the subject matter brutal, more than one would expect from the title.

Dylan Kussman does an excellent job as Dr. Allen Painter, who is the son of the crime boss and has to operate to save his own baby in non-sterile conditions with bullets flying. One of the best scenes in the film is when he reaches in his bag & gives Taye Diggs' character a surprise.

Ryan Phillippe who has been in some high profile films like "Cruel Intentions" (1999), "Gosford Park" (2001), & "Crash" (2004), plays Mr. Parker, the criminal who appears is not smart enough to analyze why he is a criminal. He does question some about God and shows sympathy to his kidnapping victim, but it leaves for a bit of confusion as to what makes Parker tick. The scene with the glass shards truly made me cringe.

Benicio Del Toro won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for "Traffic" (2000) & was also nominated for "21 Grams" (2003). He has the potential to be remembered as one of the great actors of his generation. His characters including Mr. Longbaugh in this film always seem to have depth, something held behind the lines to make us wonder what lurks beneath the surface.

Sarah Silverman isn't in the film long, but she makes a full force frontal assault as the character called Raving B*tch."

James Caan does strong work as Joe Sarno who tracks the bad guys and is a bad guy himself. Geoffrey Lewis shines in his appearance as Abner Mercer who assists Sarno and winds up wounded in a taxi cab. It is probably one of the more humorous death scenes you're likely to see. Nicky Katt who started out on an episode of "Fantasy Island" and has been in numerous films including 2007's "Grindhouse" teams with Taye Diggs to assist Sarno. He turns in a strong performance. Taye Diggs plays Jeffers who is the lead gunman for hire. Diggs has built a strong career including recurring or regular TV performances on shows "Ally McBeal," "Kevin Hill," "Will & Grace," "Day Break," "Grey's Anatomy" & "Private Practice." For me, he never really had the cold-blooded look in his eye.

Last but not least is Juliette Lewis. She was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1991 for "Cape Fear" and won the Best Actress award from the Venice International Film Festival for "Natural Born Killers" in 1994. Lewis always seems to play characters who are off-center, a bit crazy or loaded. As the pregnant surrogate mom Robin, she moves full-steam with one screw loose making one never quite know what she's going to do. With an unusual rasp in her voice, she is a distinctive actress.

I found this film in the $4 budget bin and figured it was cheaper than a rental. I'm glad to have the seen performances. The cinematography was excellent. I haven't quite decided whether to keep the DVD or put it in the garage sale pile. Enjoy! May 16, 2008

Good Acting, horrible movie.

This movie was silly. Some great performances and great actors were wasted. James Caan was great, but with the story so disjointed and boring scenes of shootings, I just didn't like this movie. The scenes with the baby being born and the chick all messed up being pregnant and her silly walk. Juliette Lewis was doing the best she could, she's just not that great. I was trying to like this movie, but other than some interesting acting I hated this movie. 2 stars because the actors tried. April 6, 2008

Your cup of tea only if you are a hard core action fan who likes quotable one liners

Written and directed by the scriptwriter of the excellent The Usual Suspects, Way of the Gun has a conventional plot, lots of shoot 'em up action, and a number of lines which will stick with you for days.

The best thing to say about the movie is that it stars two strong actors in del Toro and Caan. Sadly, most of the rest of the cast is doomed to playing caricatures and not characters. del Toro and Caan are excellent. Their conversation inside the cantina half way through the movie suffuses with poignant regret. The two men learn quickly that in another time and place, they might have been friends. However, the circumstances they're in place them irrevocably at odds. Although reprehensible people, the viewer starts to care about them.

Not so for the other characters. They either play set-cast roles largely there to keep the plot moving or they deliver performances as if they were walking through their lines hoping to get quickly to the other side (the actor playing the second gunman is the epitome of this problem.)

There are some odds quirks about this movie to like. Seldom will one see an inability to get a cellular signal play such a repeated or important role in plot development. There's a very slow motion chase scene in an alley which is photographed beautifully. The use of vivid colors at night in Mexico is visually arresting.

But if you want a serious plot with your crime thrillers, this is not going to be the movie for you. February 17, 2008

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