Father Geek here with a test screening review on Christopher McQuarrie's latest effort THE WAY OF THE GUN. I read the script for this about half a year ago and it kicked my ass, but I try not to get too excited about scripts no matter how good because so many get beat up in the development process. It sounds like this one came through with flying colors...
Dear Father Geek,
I just returned from a test screening of "The Way of the Gun." The new movie by Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects). He wrote this one and I think he directed as well. They didn't list who the director was. I'll start with the description on the pass. "Known to us only by their aliases, Parker (Ryan Phillippe) and Longbaugh (Benicio Del Toro) would admit that crime does not pay, but there is nothing else they're really good at. Life has left them stranded in the southwestern wastelands with a price on their heads, a trunkload full of guns, and a fistful of change in the ashtray. Here they catch wind of the Chidducks- an affluent local couple who are paying a million dollars in cash to Robin (Juliette Lewis) - a surrogate mother carrying her child, which is due any day. They conspire to grab Robin, take her to Mexico and hold the baby for ransom. But the Mexican border offers no protection from Jeffers (Taye Diggs) and Obecks (Nicky Katt), the bodyguards who lost Robin in the first place, and Joe Sarno (James Caan), the venerable bagman in charge of keeping Mr. Chidducks hands clean. Parker and Longbaugh learn quickly that there is no escape from the long arm of these three men whose only concern is the safe and quick return of Robin, the baby, and the fifteen million dollars ransom."
To be honest, as long as that description is, there is actually a lot of other stuff going on. Plot twists and such that I won't reveal. I will say that this movie absolutely rocks however. It's got great dialogue, clever situations, and some hardcore gunplay considering John Woo had nothing to do with this flick.
The performances were quite good as well. Del Toro rocks as Longbaugh. He plays a quiet cool badass to perfection. Ryan Phillippe, who I normally don't care for, actually does a good job of shedding his "I'm a teenage dreamboat" look and does very well in creating a believable and interesting criminal char acter. (The beard and mustache he sports in the movie helps him as well.) Juliette Lewis is good as the pregnant girl Robin. She doesn't play a white trash skank as opposed to previous works her portfolio seems to be full of. For once she wasn't annoying. Way to go Juliette. You accomplished something I didn't think possible. Taye Diggs was also good as a henchman. He's building up a good resume. Keep it up, Taye. Of course James Caan is the man. Nothing further.
To best describe this film I would pitch it as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid meets The Usual Suspects. The settings and the two criminals reminded me a lot of Butch and Sundance. The final shootout reminded me of it too. However that doesn't necessarily mean it has the same result. The dialogue and plot twists are pure Usual Suspects and pure McQuarrie. I don't think the film was as good as Suspects, but it's damn close. The final line of dialogue uttered is perfect. I won't reveal anything else though.
In closing, the movie was extremely entertaining and is a great action/thriller. Hopefully Artisan won't screw with it before it's released.
Signed,
Kobayashi
