Clay Pigeons (1998)

Set in Montana's Big Sky country, shot in Utah, lensed by Eric Alan Edwards (cinematographer of My Own Private Idaho)--no wonder it's hard to tell where Clay Pigeons lives, or where it's going. A Ridley Scott protégé previously at home in commercials and videos, debuting director David Dobkin aims to deliver us into the blackly comedic badlands of neo-noir, territory mined by the likes of Red Rock West and Fargo. Pigeons launches strongly, with several cruel turns of the screw. Out target-shooting, Clay Birdwell (Joaquin Phoenix) is hit with the news that his best pal knows he's been boffing his ur-slut wife (Georgina Cates) and could take Clay out on the spot, but chooses a creepier revenge--committing suicide in order to frame the guy who's cuckolded him. Naturally, Clay covers up the mess, thereby opening the film's can of very nasty worms. A slick, fast-talking cowboy (Vince Vaughn)--the funhouse-mirror-opposite of Phoenix's sweet, slow farmboy--turns up, and a string of ugly murders begins to play out. Once Vaughn's Lester Long is on the scene, spreading his psychotically giggling bonhomie, Dobkin's skin-deep riff on Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train pretty much belongs to him. The rest of the cast looks more or less like clay pigeons set up by a scattershot script: exceptions include the always-estimable Scott Wilson who transforms his caricature-prone Sheriff Mooney into a character of nuanced humanity, and Janeane Garofalo, as an urban-hip FBI agent, whose single-chick sarcasm goes down in flames when Lester unholsters those big guns of come-hither charm. John Lurie of Lounge Lizards fame contributes a distinctive score, but Elvis Presley acts as the film's patron saint in more ways than one: Clay Pigeons' sexiest, scariest wet work is choreographed to "It's Now or Never." --Kathleen Murphy Amazon.com

 Clay Pigeons
First movie I actually liked Joaquin Phoenix. He plays this guy with mixed up morals who then gets involved with people even more mixed up than him. Everything just spirals into a huge mess for Joaquin's character. Pokes fun at small-town life but not in a false manner. Good dark comedy. November 1, 2007

 Great performances...
I thought the cast was pretty much perfect and their performances were great. I just didn't think the story was very orginal and it was too easy to guess what was going to happen next.

Still, I enjoyed it and would recommend it, although it was really nothing special or exciting. September 23, 2007

 Great show
This was a great show. Vince Vaughn does a spectacular job in his part. Very funny and twisted movie. June 12, 2007

 hidden wonder
nobody knows about this movie, fantabulous performances by joaquin phoenix (as to be expected) and vince vaughn, the perfect additive to a twisted comedy. May 7, 2007

 Winning performances from a solid cast in this dark comedy / psychological thriller
Clay Pigeons manages to combine the best of the dark comedy and psychological thriller genres, something that rarely works well (11:14 and The Boondock Saints might be two other good examples). It's hands-down my favorite Vince Vaughn performance. He plays a creepy lady killer (in the literal sense) with a charming twang and boisterous attitude. As a viewer, I found myself empathizing with women who fall for serial killers!

Vince Vaughn plays the foil to small town boy Clay (Joaquin Phoenix), a nice kid who gets tangled up in a web of lies stemming from a desire to cover-up one romantic indiscretion. In shocking succession, Vaughn's cowboy character racks up a series of murders and gotchas for the innocent Clay. Toss in a sheriff who is straight out of Mayberry and a no-nonsense FBI investigator who occasionally imbibes in marijuana (Janeane Garofalo), and you've got a gripping crime story full of twists and comedic turns.
April 20, 2007

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