Interesting, engrossing, but might have benefited from a stronger cast

Rating: 6/10 (8 August 2007)

Five disparate men, crooks involved in a drug heist gone awry, have their story unraveled by the sole survivor of the mishap. Colorfully profane screenplay done a disservice by the rather lackluster cast (particularly Chazz Palminteri, who does nothing fresh playing a smug investigator, and Stephen Baldwin as a cocky cut-up). Similarly, the direction also takes a while to warm up, although Kevin Spacey overcomes the awkward handling and won a Supporting Actor Oscar. Spacey, who often strikes an indifferent presence on-screen, is eerily haughty here and almost removed from the surroundings, yet his actorly tics are colorful and he works his hypnotic eyes with quiet drive. The movie has intriguing passages and certainly improves as it continues, but the twisty finish is more outlandish than surprising, especially as you consider all that came before it. **1/2 from ****