brilliantly filmed....and very romantic

Rating: 10/10 (5 April 2006)

OK, if anyone is reading this 10 years plus after the film's premier, I'm sure you're puzzled by my claiming this is a romantic film....but it is.
Master thief Macauley--DeNiro--falls in love with a relatively shy young woman. He and she are on their way to a new life together, when he decides that her love and their new life are just not enough--he must risk all that by stopping to kill a traitor to his criminal group. He turns his back on love and romance for one more criminal act, and is pursued and shot as a result by Lt. Hanna (Pacino).
In contrast, Chris Chihurlis (maybe Shirhulis,the Val Kilmer character) is saved from capture by his wife's undying love for him. The couple has fought viciously throughout much of the film, but when the police pressure his wife (Judd) to betray him, entice him into a police trap, she subtly waves him off, knowing she may never see him again but that he will be neither killed nor captured by the police. She risked her own freedom in so doing, but this couple was saved by love--the DeNiro character lost all when he turned his back on love.
The message, the theme inherent here--love is everything, treasure it, seek it above all, and it may literally save your life, save your freedom.
All in all, a magnificent film...and one of the best depictions ever of The sense of place that is Los Angeles....SEE IT...