Young writer-director Andy Hurst's "You're Dead" is the sort of film that gives crime movies a bad name. Undoubtedly, it will be sold on the name of Rhys Ifans (the charmingly disgusting Spike from "Notting Hill") and its supposed rock 'n' roll violent humor. But there is very little to engage, amuse, thrill or even entertain audiences here.
The film opened to minimal publicity and uniformly poor reviews in London and looks destined more for a video release where the names of Ifans and John Hurt might look attractive on a video cover. A U.S. release seems unlikely and is probably ill-advised.
On paper, the premise behind "You're Dead" might have sounded like an attractive recipe: Add some "Pulp Fiction"-style violence, mix in a bit of knowing humor with a dash of flash editing and serve it all up with a garnish of bullets, blood and music. The problem is that none of the ingredients gel, and it all feels cliched and half-baked.
The film opens with a police firearms unit entering the cluttered and still-burning remains of a bank. Yes, there's been a robbery and things have gone badly wrong. The initial setup of introducing the characters and the background to the robbery is interesting but only serves to disappoint even more when some of the inept writing kicks in.
The mastermind is old-time robber Maitland (the always interesting Hurt), who has been rescued from jail by wannabe villains Eddie (Ifans) and Ian David Schneider) who, in turn, have been sent a foolproof bank robbery plan that has to involve Maitland.
Most fun comes from the early moments of the robbery as the three villains enter the bank properly dressed as London gents, replete with bowler hats and pin-stripe suits, albeit carrying pistols. From then on, it all gets a bit silly -- trying very hard to be slick and complex but mostly ending up with some dreadful lines and unsubtle editing.
Outside the bank, bad-guy cop Sniffton (Roger Ashton-Griffiths, who happily chews the scenery) has been ordered off the case, and Professor Corner (Barbara Flynn) and her nonviolent intervention unit called Cyclops take over. A moment of humor comes when they play a loud version of "Please Release Me" through massive speakers to disorientate the robbers.
In turns out that Jo (Claire Skinner), one of the bank hostages, is not only a policewoman but has also received a letter advising her to be at the bank from the same person who sent the villains the plans. The next, rather obvious twist is that she is also Maitland's long-lost daughter.
Well, at this point we are all hoping it will be over soon. Throw in a mad killer and a couple more obvious twists and, blessedly, it is.
On the plus side, Ifans is actually very good and does the best he can with the role. Hurt also does all he can, while Skinner (who appeared in Mike Leigh's "Life Is Sweet") makes the best of a poor part. Flynn, a well-known face on British television, smiles her way through her very cliched role and looks plain embarrassed in one flashback sequence.
The film was shot -- and largely financed -- in Germany with a German technical team. That probably accounts for some of the poor London accents of some of the police extras.
YOU'RE DEAD
An Atlantic Streamline production
Credits: Writer-director: Andy Hurst; Producer: Marco Weber; Director of photography: Wedigo von Schultzendorff; Sound: Andreas Biegler. Cast: Maitland: John Hurt; Eddie: Rhys Ifans; Jo: Claire Skinner; Ian: David Schneider; Professor Corner: Barbara Flynn; Cliff Sniffton: Roger Ashton-Griffiths. No MPAA rating. Color/stereo. Running time -- 97minutes.
The film opened to minimal publicity and uniformly poor reviews in London and looks destined more for a video release where the names of Ifans and John Hurt might look attractive on a video cover. A U.S. release seems unlikely and is probably ill-advised.
On paper, the premise behind "You're Dead" might have sounded like an attractive recipe: Add some "Pulp Fiction"-style violence, mix in a bit of knowing humor with a dash of flash editing and serve it all up with a garnish of bullets, blood and music. The problem is that none of the ingredients gel, and it all feels cliched and half-baked.
The film opens with a police firearms unit entering the cluttered and still-burning remains of a bank. Yes, there's been a robbery and things have gone badly wrong. The initial setup of introducing the characters and the background to the robbery is interesting but only serves to disappoint even more when some of the inept writing kicks in.
The mastermind is old-time robber Maitland (the always interesting Hurt), who has been rescued from jail by wannabe villains Eddie (Ifans) and Ian David Schneider) who, in turn, have been sent a foolproof bank robbery plan that has to involve Maitland.
Most fun comes from the early moments of the robbery as the three villains enter the bank properly dressed as London gents, replete with bowler hats and pin-stripe suits, albeit carrying pistols. From then on, it all gets a bit silly -- trying very hard to be slick and complex but mostly ending up with some dreadful lines and unsubtle editing.
Outside the bank, bad-guy cop Sniffton (Roger Ashton-Griffiths, who happily chews the scenery) has been ordered off the case, and Professor Corner (Barbara Flynn) and her nonviolent intervention unit called Cyclops take over. A moment of humor comes when they play a loud version of "Please Release Me" through massive speakers to disorientate the robbers.
In turns out that Jo (Claire Skinner), one of the bank hostages, is not only a policewoman but has also received a letter advising her to be at the bank from the same person who sent the villains the plans. The next, rather obvious twist is that she is also Maitland's long-lost daughter.
Well, at this point we are all hoping it will be over soon. Throw in a mad killer and a couple more obvious twists and, blessedly, it is.
On the plus side, Ifans is actually very good and does the best he can with the role. Hurt also does all he can, while Skinner (who appeared in Mike Leigh's "Life Is Sweet") makes the best of a poor part. Flynn, a well-known face on British television, smiles her way through her very cliched role and looks plain embarrassed in one flashback sequence.
The film was shot -- and largely financed -- in Germany with a German technical team. That probably accounts for some of the poor London accents of some of the police extras.
YOU'RE DEAD
An Atlantic Streamline production
Credits: Writer-director: Andy Hurst; Producer: Marco Weber; Director of photography: Wedigo von Schultzendorff; Sound: Andreas Biegler. Cast: Maitland: John Hurt; Eddie: Rhys Ifans; Jo: Claire Skinner; Ian: David Schneider; Professor Corner: Barbara Flynn; Cliff Sniffton: Roger Ashton-Griffiths. No MPAA rating. Color/stereo. Running time -- 97minutes.
- 10/12/1999
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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