"Slevin" delivers in all the right places

Rating: 8/10 (24 September 2006)

I've had to watch this film three times to be prepared to write this review, because the nuances are far too numerous to catch in one viewing. There are any number of praises I could give "Lucky Number Slevin" right from the beginning.
Director Paul McGuigan seems to have come out of nowhere, having only a handful of unimpressive and unnoticed films under his belt before "Slevin." The film's pacing is deliberate and unapologetic, but at no point does it feel rushed. McGuigan takes time and does a beautiful job letting the plot's secrets unfold, at no expense to the stylishness of the characters or the freshness of the dialogue. He gives the audience's intelligence credit, always only giving just enough information without being vague.
Cynics have labeled green screen-writer Jason Smilovic's script for the movie as "Tarantino-esque" but in fact the product is quite different. While Tarantino's dialogue shifts smoothly between being almost excessively cool and shockingly graphic, Smilovic remains down-to-earth and realistic. At the same time, he writes rich, fascinating characters, most of whom seem to have been cast perfectly from some higher power.
Lucy Liu is completely adorable in a role which only faintly gives off the aroma of Natalie Portman's in "Garden State." Stanley Tucci is solid as usual as the dirty cop, and Bruce Willis continues to impress me with the interesting film choices he makes, turning in an excellent performance as the mysterious assassin. Josh Hartnett is everything you could want in a leading man; don't be fooled by the boyish good looks, the man can act, and he is perfectly suited for this role.
The real show-stealers, however are Morgan Freeman and Sir Ben Kingsley as the rival gang lords. Initially I was skeptical about Freeman as a villain, because ever since "The Shawshank Redemption," he has been type-cast as a kindly grandfather-like figure. I was pleasantly surprised though. He retains his genial quality but at the same time you can sense a menacing streak within his character. Kingsley is a joy to behold as well, and when the two veteran actors finally share the screen, it's as if you're watching a stage-play.
It's hard to find anything wrong with this film. Its genre is so ambiguous that you truly find yourself having no idea what comes next, and it is a breath of fresh air. The score by composer J. Ralph sets the tone beautifully and Peter Sova's cinematography is on par with if not beyond that of Conrad Hall ("American Beauty," "Road to Perdition"). Frankly, there is something in this movie for everyone, and unless strong violence makes you squeamish, I strongly recommend it to any film-lover.