Bad Apple (2004)

Based on the novel by Anthony Bruno, BAD APPLE stars Chris Noth as Mike Tozzi, an undercover FBI agent who finds himself entangled in a web of double-crossing wise guys while trying to bring down a loan-sharking business. Amidst it all, Tozzi finds himself attracted to the sister of his informant

Nifty mob/FBI agent flick

Some nice stuff here--an FBI agent with a nagging toothache and a history professor wife who can't keep her mouth shut; another FBI agent with a serious thing for an informant's hot sister; a low-level mob boss whose nickname, "Buddah", shows his contemplative attitude (as long as he gets his money); and a mob soldier with a bright yellow/blond mane and a nasty streak expressing itself in chaining people up.

Not your run of the mill mob film--plus which there's some real comedy here, meaning SMART comedy--e.g., the driver of the FBI van mouths off to the toothache agent about marriage and pines for a candy bar.

This was an HBO telefilm directed by Adam Bernstein, who also did another smart, funny mob comedy crime film, Six Ways to Sunday. Both are definitely worth watching. Bad Apple's based on a novel by crime writer Anthony Bruno and stars Chris Noth as the FBI agent with the hots for the informant's sister; Eliot Gould as "Buddah"; Colm Meaney as the agent with the toothache; Mercedes Ruehl as his snappy wife; and Robert Patrick as the bright blond nasty hood.

The good guys go after the bad guys. Nothing new there, but the approach is so smart and snappy it's a truly refreshing change of pace. Definitely unconventional; definitely fun to watch. Thumbs up. September 9, 2006

A whole lot of fun

I purchased this film knowing little to nothing about it. My impression was that Chris Noth either played a rotten character, or a character who goes bad through the course of the movie. I couldn't have been more wrong.

'Bad Apple' is a fun, enjoyable movie that doesn't take itself too seriously, and travels along at rollicking pace.

Chris Noth and Colm Meaney star in this movie as FBI agents who are working and busting members of the criminal underworld. Noth's character goes undercover in order to get more evidence, and this is where everything begins to go awry.

Noth's character, Mike Tossi, falls for the sister of the crook who he is supposed to be acting as the business partner of. The catch is, the bad boy that he is attempting to set up a business deal with also has it bad for her.

Through a series of comical blunders, Noth and his would-be girlfriend end up hostages of this particular psychopath, and Meaney's character and his wife wind up hostages themselves - first to the mafia figure that Meaney and Noth were trying to nail, and then to the crook who was supposed to be helping them to begin with.

The movie is more than a little left of centre, but it's fun to watch nonetheless. It's certainly worth getting, provided you don't pay too much for it. July 26, 2006

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