One Half Martin Scorsese Mixed with One Half Film Noir

Rating: 8/10 (12 May 2009)

A fun and violent puzzler set in the criminal underworld.
Gabriel Byrne, Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Pete Postlethwaite and Chazz Palmentieri make up the cast of this twisty-turny thriller that keeps one foot in the world of Martin Scorsese and the other planted squarely in film noir. It's the kind of movie that garners a cult following (which it has) and that's better enjoyed if you know nothing about it. There's a big surprise ending (one of the most famous in film history) that will spoil the film if you know it beforehand. In fact, I wonder if the film would hold up as well to a second viewing once you know what's coming.
Received Academy Awards for its screenplay and for the performance of Kevin Spacey, before anyone realized that Spacey would just deliver the same sardonic performance in every movie he'd make from that point forward.
Grade: A