At Close Range
2.5/4
Starring: Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Mary Stuart Masterson, Chris Penn
Rated R (probably for Graphic Violence, Language, Drug Use and Brief Nudity)
What is it about crime that appeals to us? The lure of quick cash, certainly. The adrenaline, the power rush. There is definitely something seductive about it. At least from a distance. But when you get up close, it's not a place you want to be. Brad Whitewood Jr. finds this out the hard way.
Like everyone in his small Pennsylvania town, Brad Jr. (Penn) has nothing to do but drink and smoke. Jobs are not plentiful and none of them pay well. Not that Brad has any ambitions. He only worked long enough to buy his truck, then settled down for a life of drinking and dope. After he's thrown out of the trailer by his mother's loutish boyfriend, he pays a visit to his estranged dad, Brad Sr. (Walken). His father has a notorious reputation as thief, which he initially downplays. But his son and his friends are intrigued and want in. But then things go too far, and he changes his mind. That presents a problem for his father because he knows too much.
"At Close Range" is a mixed bag. It's well-made and contains strong performances, but director James Foley keeps the characters at an arms distance. They speak in a clipped, sparse style. While this kind of cinematic aloofness has some appeal, it makes it difficult to care about anyone in it. We don't know who they are. There are no three dimensional characters in this film. The film never gains the necessary depth and energy to really involve us.
At least it has three terrific performances in it. Sean Penn may have a bad on set reputation, but the man is an electrifying actor. He is riveting as the naive and rootless Brad Jr., who finds out too late crime's true price. We sense the excitement at the lure of easy money and getting closer to his father. But we also feel for him when his bad decisions come back to haunt him. Likewise, Christopher Walken is more than the obligatory creepy weirdo that pop culture has pegged him as. But Walken isn't as successful at submerging himself into his character. He does what he can, and certainly looks the part, but I never lost sight of the actor. Mary Stuart Masterson also gives an interesting performance as a girl who, like her boyfriend, is intrigued by the dark side. But she's smart enough to know what's going on but not smart enough to play her cards right.
Director James Foley has a strong sense of place. This is a movie set in a place where everyone is essentially trapped. No one has much money and there is not much to do. More importantly, he has the attitudes and the lifestyle right down to the little details. It may not seem like much, but such a strong setting adds a sense of verisimilitude to the film that gives it more of a punch.
To his credit, Foley does not downplay the violence. There is a constant sense that the characters are in danger. Even in other violent heist movies like "Set it Off" or "Heat," there is a sense that everyone will act according to their own moral code, if you know what I mean. Not here. Brad Sr and his crew won't hesitate to kill anyone they view of as a threat. Whenever they are on screen, there's a true sense of menace.
Yet, the screenplay is just not up to snuff. There's fascinating material here, but much of it is left untilled. It's as if everyone involved was afraid of pushing it to the limit. It has the actors, but without strong writing or character identification, all we're left with is a formula picture that looks great and is well-acted but has too little insight.
Compare this to "Kalifornia" and you'll see what I mean. That movie tackled similar material with much more intelligence and less timidity. This is content to skim the surface.
Starring: Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Mary Stuart Masterson, Chris Penn
Rated R (probably for Graphic Violence, Language, Drug Use and Brief Nudity)
What is it about crime that appeals to us? The lure of quick cash, certainly. The adrenaline, the power rush. There is definitely something seductive about it. At least from a distance. But when you get up close, it's not a place you want to be. Brad Whitewood Jr. finds this out the hard way.
Like everyone in his small Pennsylvania town, Brad Jr. (Penn) has nothing to do but drink and smoke. Jobs are not plentiful and none of them pay well. Not that Brad has any ambitions. He only worked long enough to buy his truck, then settled down for a life of drinking and dope. After he's thrown out of the trailer by his mother's loutish boyfriend, he pays a visit to his estranged dad, Brad Sr. (Walken). His father has a notorious reputation as thief, which he initially downplays. But his son and his friends are intrigued and want in. But then things go too far, and he changes his mind. That presents a problem for his father because he knows too much.
"At Close Range" is a mixed bag. It's well-made and contains strong performances, but director James Foley keeps the characters at an arms distance. They speak in a clipped, sparse style. While this kind of cinematic aloofness has some appeal, it makes it difficult to care about anyone in it. We don't know who they are. There are no three dimensional characters in this film. The film never gains the necessary depth and energy to really involve us.
At least it has three terrific performances in it. Sean Penn may have a bad on set reputation, but the man is an electrifying actor. He is riveting as the naive and rootless Brad Jr., who finds out too late crime's true price. We sense the excitement at the lure of easy money and getting closer to his father. But we also feel for him when his bad decisions come back to haunt him. Likewise, Christopher Walken is more than the obligatory creepy weirdo that pop culture has pegged him as. But Walken isn't as successful at submerging himself into his character. He does what he can, and certainly looks the part, but I never lost sight of the actor. Mary Stuart Masterson also gives an interesting performance as a girl who, like her boyfriend, is intrigued by the dark side. But she's smart enough to know what's going on but not smart enough to play her cards right.
Director James Foley has a strong sense of place. This is a movie set in a place where everyone is essentially trapped. No one has much money and there is not much to do. More importantly, he has the attitudes and the lifestyle right down to the little details. It may not seem like much, but such a strong setting adds a sense of verisimilitude to the film that gives it more of a punch.
To his credit, Foley does not downplay the violence. There is a constant sense that the characters are in danger. Even in other violent heist movies like "Set it Off" or "Heat," there is a sense that everyone will act according to their own moral code, if you know what I mean. Not here. Brad Sr and his crew won't hesitate to kill anyone they view of as a threat. Whenever they are on screen, there's a true sense of menace.
Yet, the screenplay is just not up to snuff. There's fascinating material here, but much of it is left untilled. It's as if everyone involved was afraid of pushing it to the limit. It has the actors, but without strong writing or character identification, all we're left with is a formula picture that looks great and is well-acted but has too little insight.
Compare this to "Kalifornia" and you'll see what I mean. That movie tackled similar material with much more intelligence and less timidity. This is content to skim the surface.
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