Reindeer Games

Plot synopsis:
Nick Cassidy and Rudy Duncan are cellmates in prison two days away from release. Nick has been corresponding with a young woman named Ashley Mercer, who is waiting for him on the outside. After Nick takes a shiv in a prison fight and dies, Rudy, who just wants to have a cup of hot chocolate after he reunites with his family a week before Christmas, takes his place and lets the beautiful Ashley think he is the one who has been writing her. Gabriel, the leader of a gang who assaults Rudy and Ashley in their cabin, is Ashley's brother, telling "Nick" that the gang, with Nick's help, will rob the casino he used to work at. Rudy reveals he is not Nick, but Ashley continues to confirm he is and that she wrote to him knowing Gabriel was going to kidnap and force Rudy to assist in the robbery. Rudy, while furious with Ashley, is reluctantly forced to go along with his ruse.
Using the information from the real Nick’s prison cell stories, Rudy is able to devise a robbery plan and informs Gabriel that the biggest loot is hidden inside a safe in the manager’s office (the "PowWow" safe). On the night of the robbery, Rudy breaks out of his holding in order to find a way to arm himself as he knows Gabriel will kill him after the robbery. He stumbles upon Gabriel and Ashley and learns that they are lovers and partners in crime.
The group robs the casino, each dressed as Santa Claus. Rudy, forced to take part in the robbery, hides the fact that he knows Ashley’s secret. Shots are fired and security guards and Santas are shot. Ashley drives into the Casino and lets Nick/Rudy know she is in on the heist. All meeting in the manager's office, Gabriel introduces Rudy to the casino manager as Nick but the manager recognizes that he isn’t Nick and Rudy confesses. Gabriel, furious at Rudy’s deception, spares him for a moment when he demands to know where the "PowWow” safe is. When the manager opens the safe, he grabs guns from inside and kills one of the robbers as the rest flee. The casino manager dies during the shootout. Rudy kills another one of the robbers and is then grabbed by Gabriel and Ashley who tie him up in their 18-wheeler truck.
They plan to drive him off the edge of a cliff in a burning vehicle with a little of the money so that officials will guess all had been burned. After accidentally revealing too much information during an argument with Rudy, Ashley shoots and kills the now suspicious Gabriel. Shortly after, Nick appears, having staged his death at the prison. It is revealed that Ashley's real name is Millie Bobeck and Rudy learns that the two had collaborated to rob the casino using Rudy and Gabriel and his gang. Ashley had known the entire time who Rudy truly was. Nick also informs Rudy that the prison stories were part of a set-up.
After they tie Rudy to the steering wheel to drive off the cliff, he produces a knife he had gotten earlier, cuts his bindings, hot wires the car, sets it to reverse and crushes Nick. With Ashley firing at him, he rams the fiery car into her and dives out as the car and Ashley go over the cliff. Nick tries to convince Rudy that they can share the money but Rudy locks him in the truck and also sends it over the cliff. Rudy picks up the stolen cash and begins distributing it in mailboxes he comes across on the way home to his family, and he eats a Christmas dinner with them. The film closes with Rudy smiling.

Tags: violence, neo noir, murder, flashback

Review:
I can imagine the pitch for "Reindeer Games" being thrown at the execs behind the picture..."Okay, it's about this guy, who's not who he says he is, who everybody thinks he is, who fools these guys who thinks he is, falls in love with this girl who thinks he is, even though he isn't, and they try to pull a heist with his expertise, even though he has none."Nick (Ben Affleck) has just been released from jail for defending his girlfriend in a fight prior to being thrown into the slammer.
Nick was killed before his release in the jail cafeteria, and so Nick took his identity so that he could meet up with the infamous Ashley he kept hearing about, forming a mental picture of her in his head.If you stop to take the time and think through all the minor details of the film's plot (especially given the "twist" ending), you'll probably arive upon the conclusion that it's all a bunch of bull.
It simply doesn't make sense if you really take the time to think it through.If you don't put your brain to work, however, you'll find yourself having fun watching director John Frankenheimer's last film.
Frankenheimer was a talented director, the man behind such films as "The Manchurian Candidate," "Seconds" and "Ronin." His last feature was one of his most stylish and brutal, fast-paced, funny, and often just fun to sit through.Gary Sinise ("Forrest Gump," "Ransom") is his usual villainious self, while the real surprise comes from actress Charlize Theron, who switches character a lot through the film, especially towards the end, and is a real beauty and delight to watch.
She's the film's high point, and though people criticize the plot, I found "Reindeer Games" mildly inventive with its shifting twists and turns, even if they aren't always so believable.The film's downfall is its ending, which feels as if the filmmakers got caught up in all their twists and turns and unconsciously wrote themselves into a wall, then suddenly slapped on a cheesy, cliched ending with a sentimental good guy closing scene.
Burdened with a base knowledge of Nick's Indian casino employment past, Rudy finds himself in too deep with Ashley's brother Gabriel (Gary Sinise) and is violently forced to cooperate with a casino robbery that Gabriel and his gang have been planning with Nick in mind.From an original screenplay by Ehren Kruger, REINDEER is very much in the same vein as his last script ARLINGTON ROAD.
Helmed by esteemed director John Frankenheimer (THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, RONIN), REINDEER seems keenly aware of it's inane story, yet he keeps pushing the proceedings along briskly, trying to keep this casino heist plot afloat with good actors and a passable script.
It isn't the best performance that's come out of him (I'll save that honor for DOGMA), but Affleck is a likable enough guy and makes Rudy a character you want to see save the day.
I though REINDEER GAMES was a pretty good movie, especially compared to some other movies of the year 2000 so far, but I think there should have been a little more action than there actually was.
Just when you think you've identified all the twists, there's another one right there.Rudy (Ben Affleck), a car-thief, and his cellmate Nick (James Frain), a guy who killed another man while defending his girlfriend, are both about to be freed from jail when Nick is murdered during a lunch fight.
The two really hit it off and things are going well, until Ashley's brother Gabriel (Gary Sinise) finds Rudy and threatens to kill him if he doesn't help them get into and rob a casino, which the real Nick previously worked at.The plot is actually pretty cool, but it's hard to believe that this bunch of idiot-thieves would really believe that this was the real Nick, even after he told them time after time that he wasn't.
The characters are pretty cool, about half of which turn out to be different from whom you originally thought.Ben Affleck, new to the action genre, did a pretty good job.
Gary doesn't do as well as the villain as he did in SNAKE EYES or RANSOM, but he still did a very good and believable job.The main flaw in this movie was the lack of action until the end.
John Frankenheimer follows up his great comeback film, "Ronin," with "Reindeer Games," a flawed but efficient thriller that recalls his earlier "52 Pick-Up."Freshly paroled ex-con Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) assumes the identity of his cellmate, Nick (who misses out on his parole when he is taken out during a prison riot), when Rudy falls for Nick's gorgeous pen-pal, Ashley (Charlize Theron).
The ruse goes awry when he is also mistaken for Nick by a gang of thugs (headed by Gary Sinise) who recruit him in their planned heist of an Indian casino at which Nick had been employed.Like "52 Pick-Up," "Reindeer Games" has a central character whose flawed behavior puts him at the mercy of dangerous individuals who conceive a scheme that spins out of control.
I don't feel it's one of those so-bad-it's-good sort of movies, but the script relies quite a bit on chance and one of the plot twists, though quite fun and unpredictable, is a bit on the implausible side.
The likelihood of this situation panning itself out the way it did here isn't very high, but the film works because of John Frankenheimer's direction, the charismatic cast, and the dark humor.Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck), a car thief, and his cellmate and best friend Nick Cassidy (James Frain) are two days away from being released from prison.
Unlikely or not, there's no denying that last twist is a lot of fun.Director Frankenheimer and screenwriter Kruger also seem to know what the audience wants from this sort of movie, and they fill it with everything they can, including violent action, the dark humor, the twists and turns, as well as a good dose of sex and nudity, provided mostly by Charlize Theron.
Not even a pretty good (not great, mind you) performance by Charlize Theron (Cider House Rules) could save this flick.The premise is bad: Gun-running bad guys decide they want in on the big money, so they decide to turn to armed robbery  their first job an out-of-the-way Indian casino in a remote part of Michigan in the middle of a snowy winter that for some reason has millions of dollars in its vaults when it has trouble attracting customers.The acting terrible: Ben Affleck proves he can't act  and this pretty boy can't get away with playing an ex-con.And a new low in incredibly dumb crooks: Gary Sinise snarls through the whole movie, playing a cold-blooded killer who could have put us all out of our misery if he had just put a bullet through Affleck's head in an early scene.
Yes, he could have notified security in the casino.Yes, he could have called the police while he was "trapped in the hotel" even though he was walking around.Yes, he could have escaped during his outing into the parking lot at night front he bedroom window.Yes, he could have told the guy in the casino bathroom what was going on and to call the cops.Yes, there were so many ways to get away and deal with the sh1t that was going down, but he didn't and I still love this film.Maybe it's because I have a Charlize Theron fetish and addiction.Maybe it's because it's a unique Christmas story and it's not sappy like the Frosty and Jesus stories.Maybe it's because Charlize looks so damn hot.
(Perhaps because he appears to have been working out and wanted to show off?)  The entire plot consists of a juvenile mistaken identity gag, played over and over as Sinise holds a gun to Affleck's head every fifteen minutes and threatens to kill him before instead changing his mind and agreeing to let him live.
"Reindeer Games" may not go down as one of the best written or brilliant films ever made (and truth be told be it not for the fact that it was directed by the late, great John Frankenheimer, and starred Ben Affleck or Charlize Theron, it wouldn't have nearly been as noticed on this site as it is), but that doesn't mean it's without its merits.
At heart, it's a simple story: prison convict Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck)and his cell mate Nick Cassidy (James Frain) are two days away from being released around the holidays when Nick is killed in a prison riot.
Rudy tells himself that it's only until after New Year's but unbeknownst to him, he gets a lot more than he bargained for when Ashley's brother, Gabriel (Gary Sinise with Lt. Dan's hippie hairstyle) and his crew of gun running thugs force him into robbing a Indian casino (disguised as, of all things, a group of Santa Clauses!) because they think him to be the actual Nick Cassidy, who, just happened to have worked for that very casino as a security guard.
But along the way, Rudy will see there are a couple of twists and turns and despite his best efforts, he may spend Christmas in the morgue.What makes "Reindeer Games" as watchable and decently entertaining as it is would primarily be the direction of the master thrill maker John Frankenheimer.
Also noteworthy is Charlize Theron as the seemingly innocent Ashley, Gary Sinise's performance as gun running truck driver turned robber Gabriel, who does a decent job of being the bad guy of the film - even if the character is one dimensional - as well as the fact that there are a couple of note worthy actors playing his henchmen, such as the always dependable Danny Trejo, the underrated but solid Clarence Williams III, and good old natured Donal Logue.
"Reindeer Games" may not reinvent the wheel, but with Frankenheimer's direction (his final feature film), some good acting, decent action, and few decent plot twists here and there, it's not a bad way to waste some time.
The film gets shat on a lot, especially by star Charlize Theron who famously said she only did it to work with Frankenheimer, but I think it's way more fun than people give it credit for.
She turns out to be a sweetheart in the form of Theron, and things look up for old Ben. Until, however, her volatile, psychotic gangster brother Gabriel (Gary Sinise) shows up with a pack of thugs who have a notion to rob a casino that Nick used to work at, using him as an inside man.
Obviously though, Rudy knows nothing of this casino and faces a no-win scenario of coming clean about is identity (and being killed) or giving them false information about the layout (and being killed).Despite the arresting opening scene that sees a group of dead Santas lying in the snow, this "job gone wrong" thriller actually is pretty ordinary and perhaps it is understandable why it made comparatively little money at the box office.
But Rudy doesn't realized that Ashley's criminal minded brother (Gary Sinise) and his gang (Donal Logue, Danny Trejo and Clarence Williams the Third) wants Rudy to rob an Casino during Christmas Eve. Since his recently dead best friend was working as a security guard.
Affleck is certainly fun in the lead role, Theron is certainly sexy and an joy to watch in this film (Although she claims it is her worst film) and while actors like Sinise, Logue, Trejo and Williams the Third seems to be having an great time playing bad guys.
I thought the actors were great; Theron is beautiful and talented as usual, Sinise is evil and comical as the appropriately named "Monster" and Affleck has great comedic timing and should stick to playing roles like these.
REINDEER GAMES is a must see for all fans of Charlize Theron and Ben Affleck and it could work for an entertaining evening.
Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise sizzle as they star in "Reindeer Games.""Reindeer Games" is one thrill ride that is sure to entertain.
I like the actors in it.This is my 1st favorite movie from John Frankenheimer and the best screenplay by Ehren Kruger making up for some of Scream 3s mess.Ben Affleck is likeable in this movie and so is Charlize Theorn and Gary Sinse the bad guy can't go wrong there.my grade:A-One last thing this movie has some cool action sequences..
The 2 main actors in this film-Ben Affleck and Charlize Theron-who are my personal faves-should have made this movie absolutely outstanding.
Somebody of her beauty and stature would not be writing a prison seeking romance from an inmate.All in all..I would love to see Charlize Theron and Ben Affleck together in another film, hopefully of a little better quality.
From my very limited acquaintance with the genre, it seems the attractiveness of these films was their inanity and their craziness, along with their often far-fetched plot-points, far-from-realistic instances, and technical and aesthetic imperfections that are now widely different from the glossy, overly-polished action filmmaking techniques we're used to today.But who would've thought the actor to jump on this train would be Ben Affleck and the director to capture this moment be John Frankenheimer?
Preferably, but not restricted to, those starring Ben Affleck.Reindeer Games takes the cake for being one of the most asinine films I've seen this year in terms of plot, twists, and character motives.
"Some goddamn hot chocolate and some pecan f****** pie." You couldn't find a better line in this film (although Gabriel referring to Rudy's stalling as "reindeer games" comes pretty close).Besides the film utilizing intriguing settings, such as a large hotel and a spacious casino, with a nice sense of placement and activity, the film can be known for having some at least above average performances, particularly from Gary Sinise.
I get the feeling Kruger once said "I want to write a movie with a big, surprise twist at the end and "Reindeer" was his warm-up for "Road." I'm really fearful now for two more films he has coming out this year: "Impostor" and "Texas Rangers."Ben Affleck, who should have been a good choice to play a car thief, is expected to inhabit a character who is much harder than he can pull off.
There is also a nice performance from Dennis Farina who plays a Las Vegas high roller who can't make a go of managing the Tomahawk and just wants to go back to Vegas.There's lots of action in Reindeer Games with some interesting character development and plot twists that would be worthy of Hitchcock.
Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise sizzle as they star in "Reindeer Games.""Reindeer Games" is one thrill ride that is sure to entertain viewers.
Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise sizzle as they star in "Reindeer Games.""Reindeer Games" is one thrill ride that is sure to entertain viewers.
The best part about "Reindeer Games" is that it is not all action or all drama or even romance, but that it is an equal balance of all three, which is very nice to see in a movie like this.I was extremely impressed with Charlize Theron's performance because she proved she had the stuff to make it on her own.
The best part about "Reindeer Games" is that it is not all action or all drama or even romance, but that it is an equal balance of all three, which is very nice to see in a movie like this.I was extremely impressed with Charlize Theron's performance because she proved she had the stuff to make it on her own.
The best part about "Reindeer Games" is that it is not all action or all drama or even romance, but that it is an equal balance of all three, which is very nice to see in a movie like this.I was extremely impressed with Charlize Theron's performance because she proved she had the stuff to make it on her own.
Upon release from prison, Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) impersonates his cellmate Nick (James Frain) in order to get with Ashley (Chalene Theron), his lovely pen-pal girlfriend.
Sucks for Rudy!I liked Reindeer Games, it was full of action, guns, and a little bit of comedy....this is my type of movie!!!
Duncan is forced to take part in a casino heist, and amongst the film's run time, there are enough double crosses, chases, nuded scenes, suspense and plot twists for several movies!
I had a good time watching this film, the cast pull off a great job and Frankenheimer continues his recovery from The Island of Doctor Moreau.Reindeer Games won't win any awards, but there's no reason why you can't enjoy it.
I do recommend this film to anyone looking for a good night in!The acting was great, and I think that the direction given to the actors by John Frankenheimer was excellent.
It reminds a lot those exciting and explosive masterpieces of the 70's like The French Connection.Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) is a tough but good-hearted con who is going to be released soon from prison after doing his time  and wants to start a new phase on his life, completely devoted to his family.
Ben Affleck is solid as Rudy, Charlize Theron is suitably sexy as Ashley and Gary Sinise is delightfully over-the-top as Gabriel.
As its Christmas, six Santas go in to rob the casino.The plot has a lot of standard thriller concepts and you always anticipate a few twists and turns even those relating to the dead cell mate's ultimate motives as to why he wanted Affleck to hook up with Theron.The film kind of looks cheap, it was mainly shot in Canada.
Gary Sinise is an excellent bad guy, although I feel like his character whimpered out as the movie progressed.Overall, Reindeer Games is entertaining enough as it is despite some incredibly ridiculous moments.
Gary Sinise is a great actor but he doesn't really play a good and strong enough villain in this movie, also because of his crazy look perhaps.