Good, but missing a certain something

Rating: 7/10 (29 August 2005)

Reservoir Dogs has a lot going for it. There's a fabulous cast, a smart and witty script and a circular time line which allows for fascinating twists and turns which would not have been possible were the story told in the traditional manner, from beginning to end. But the film lacks a certain energy pushing it forward. Too often it seems we're going in circles and not really getting anywhere. It's also an unusual film in that instead of seeing the key events we only see conversations in which the characters discuss the key events. It adds a certain air of mystery but the resulting effect is too much talking, not enough doing.
The movie revolves around a spectacularly botched diamond heist. As the script bounces back and forth in time we see the planning leading up to the attempted robbery and the bloody aftermath. Bloody is a key word as this movie is drenched in seemingly gallons of blood throughout. Much of the focus of the film is in watching the gang of crooks try to piece together exactly what went wrong. The performances are all terrific. Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth all bring something unique in their respective performances as members of the gang. Lawrence Tierney, for whom the adjective "crusty" may have been invented, is quite a presence as Joe Cabot, the man responsible for putting the gang together. And Chris Penn does fine work as Nice Guy Eddie, Joe's son who tries to sort out the mess the robbery has become. It's a stellar collection of actors but unfortunately, other than the wonderfully deranged performance turned in by Madsen, they don't have much to do. They just stand around and talk. And talk, and talk, and talk some more. It's a compelling story, and the unique way in which it is told heightens the drama. But in the end, the payoff is not as great as might have been hoped. Reservoir Dogs is certainly a good film, but greatness eludes it.