Director:Bob Rafelson
Stars: Jack Nicholson, Michael Caine, Stephen Dorff, Jennifer Lopez, Judy Davis, Mike Starr
Running time: 105 minutes.

Twenty years ago Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson combined to bring to the screen some penetrating and haunting studies of greed, desperation and ruthless ambition. Since the steamy 1981 remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice though much of the fire seems to have gone out of this formidable team, and this grimly down beat yet atmospheric excursion into noir territory is interesting but far from the relentlessly gripping piece of cinema that we might have expected.

Blood proves thinner than water in this bleak and amoral thriller that follows a poisonously dysfunctional family driven further apart by greed, larceny and violence. Nicholson plays Florida wine merchant Alex Gates, whose flamboyant and expensive lifestyle leads him into deep financial trouble. His shrewish and alcoholic wife Suzanne (Judy Davis) has invested most of her own money into Alex's business, and is resentful that he has squandered it on a series of younger and more beautiful mistresses. Gates also has a volatile relationship with Suzanne's son Jason (Stephen Dorff, from The Power Of One etc), while his fiery young Latino mistress Gabriella (Jennifer Lopez, from Money Train, etc) is increasingly more demanding of his time, energies and money.

When his business begins to collapse around him due to his increasing debts, Gates becomes desperate to find a way out of his dilemma. Teaming up with his poker buddy and veteran thief, the sleazy and dying Victor Spansky (Michael Caine, showing an uncommonly sleazy and vicious side that he rarely explores on screen), Gates decides to commit a crime, a decision that ultimately has devastating consequences for his entire family. The pair steal a valuable necklace from one of Gates' wealthy clients, gaining entry into the house through Gabriella, who conveniently works works for the victims. Apart from a couple of minor early hiccups, the crime goes relatively smoothly.

However, Alex's simple plan begins to go off the rails when Suzanne tires of his womanising ways and irresponsible attitude towards his business and, after a violent fight, storms out of the house unknowingly taking the spoils with her. As she and Jason head down the Florida coast they are pursued by the desperate Alex and Victor, who will ultimately do anything to recover the goods. This brutal and atmospheric tale of larceny, greed and lust is one that vividly illustrates the cliché that crime doesn't pay, as these essentially ruthless people are all slowly embroiled in a web of greed, violence and betrayal.

In their five previous collaborations, veteran director Rafelson has always brought out the best in Nicholson (the dismal Man Trouble notwithstanding), and although his showy, complex and wonderfully savage performance as the desperate wine dealer is all expressive eyebrows, maniacal grin and feral attitude, his Gates easily ranks as one of this undeniably talented actor's better performance in recent years.

However, Rafelson has taken no chances, surrounding Nicholson with a solid ensemble cast who all deliver strong performances that lift the material. Caine has been resting on the laurels of past triumphs for far too long, but here he delivers a surprisingly strong and menacing performance, coughing and spluttering his way through the film with his assured and subtly sinister characterisation of the vicious, amoral and laconic Victor. Although Davis has relatively little to do in her smaller role as Nicholson's long-suffering wife, she makes the most of her few scenes, and her overwrought performance as the screaming betrayed Suzanne stops short of becoming a caricature. Dorff provides the material with much of its integrity and strength as the one essentially honest person amongst these essentially ruthless people, and his performance perfectly captures Jason's confused emotions and anger. Lopez is superbly sultry and seductive as the beautiful Latino who gets caught between Alex and his vengeful, driven son Jason and eventually has to choose between the two.

Rafelson's taut direction suits the moody tone of this tough and dark edged material perfectly as it moves towards its grim conclusion.

© 1996-97 Greg King / Used With Permission