Overdone but good

Rating: 8/10 (1 April 2006)

Police detective Al Pacino is after mastermind thief Robert De Niro. Also De Niro's partner Val Kilmer is having trouble with his wife (Ashley Judd); De Niro falls for nice Amy Brennerman and Pacino is having issues with HIS wife (Diane Venora). Also Tom Sizemore, Wes Studi and Dennis Haysbert appear in supporting roles.
Big, sprawling cops and robbers drama. There are multiple story lines and all the characters are fully realized individuals. The acting is great across the board (except for Kilmer). There was a lot made of this film because of the 8 minute sequence in which De Niro and Pacino face off verbally against each other. They're both great and the sequence is crucial to their characters--but it isn't particularly well-written. Still this might be the only time we'll ever see the two together on screen (They both starred in "The Godfather Part II" but shared no scenes).
The movie is well-directed with constant close-ups (for some reason) and shot in washed out color with some truly incredible gun fights (the last one is just jaw dropping). An ALMOST great movie.
There are problems. There are too many story lines and the film becomes quite convoluted towards the end. For example--a subplot between Pacino and his stepdaughter comes up, disappears and pops in out of NOWHERE at the end. Also the film is much too long at 3 hours. This worked great in a theatre in wide screen and ear-shattering stereo (the gun shots went right through you). It doesn't work as well on TV. Also avoid the edited for TV version which cuts out about FORTY minutes rendering the film incomprehensible. Worth watching...but it should have been tightened a little.