"Kiss of Death" is your classic, decent, self-serious 90's crime flick, and one that boasts quite the cast, really, From David Caruso and Nicolas Cage, to Samuel L. Jackson, Ving Rhames, Helen Hunt and Stanley Tucci.
It's kind of funny how the events that IMDb's synopsis describes only start off like half way through the movie. Honest man Jimmy Kilmartin (David Caruso) is pulled in on a job against his better judgement, and gets caught. If he wants to be the dad to his daughter, he must cooperate and help Calvin Hart (Samuel L. Jackson) bring down the bad guys, including the proverbial boss of "Kiss of Death", the psychotic criminal Little Junior Brown, or Nic Cage.
The plot involves less fights and gunfire, and more cop politics than I anticipated, but for once a movie taking itself seriously really helped the flow flaws. At one point Little Junior Brown teaches a lesson to Jimmy about his personal motto, which is "B. A. D. - Balls, Attitude, Direction". Kind of applies to the movie itself, it know what it is, where it goes, and goes there with a strong, unswayable attitude. Overall atmosphere is a little tepid, rarely spinning out in thrills and suspense, and losing momentum towards the end. Nonetheless, good stuff tends to break out when Cage's Junior shows his crazier side and clashes with other characters, being the suspicious angry mob man. Also, is it just me, or every other 80's-90's thriller features at least one scene in a strip club?
Nicolas Cage, the actual show stealer, is once again gifted a character suited for his skills, he portrays the gang's scary guy, ladies man, muscle man, anger issues kind of man. I knew this was supposed to be Caruso's kick start at a film career, that later failed (but he got back in game with CSI: Miami), and, in my opinion, he gave a very decent, weighted main hero's performance. Once again I learn afterwards that someone had been nominated for a Razzie, and this time it was Caruso for the worst new star. Why? I truly don't know, but I've seen way worse. As for Samuel L. Jackson, he has relatively little screen time, Hunt, Rhames and Tucci - even less.
Like with many thrillers back in the day, "Kiss of Death", although appearing dangerous and possibly more atmospheric than half of the crime flicks of the 90's, never truly feels like much is at stake, a soft resolution is reluctantly expected, and a soft resolution is received. Eventually, "Kiss of Death" is just another thriller, just with a top-notch Cage, many exciting names filling the rest of the roles, and a respectable seriousness in the air all the way through. My rating: 6/10.
It's kind of funny how the events that IMDb's synopsis describes only start off like half way through the movie. Honest man Jimmy Kilmartin (David Caruso) is pulled in on a job against his better judgement, and gets caught. If he wants to be the dad to his daughter, he must cooperate and help Calvin Hart (Samuel L. Jackson) bring down the bad guys, including the proverbial boss of "Kiss of Death", the psychotic criminal Little Junior Brown, or Nic Cage.
The plot involves less fights and gunfire, and more cop politics than I anticipated, but for once a movie taking itself seriously really helped the flow flaws. At one point Little Junior Brown teaches a lesson to Jimmy about his personal motto, which is "B. A. D. - Balls, Attitude, Direction". Kind of applies to the movie itself, it know what it is, where it goes, and goes there with a strong, unswayable attitude. Overall atmosphere is a little tepid, rarely spinning out in thrills and suspense, and losing momentum towards the end. Nonetheless, good stuff tends to break out when Cage's Junior shows his crazier side and clashes with other characters, being the suspicious angry mob man. Also, is it just me, or every other 80's-90's thriller features at least one scene in a strip club?
Nicolas Cage, the actual show stealer, is once again gifted a character suited for his skills, he portrays the gang's scary guy, ladies man, muscle man, anger issues kind of man. I knew this was supposed to be Caruso's kick start at a film career, that later failed (but he got back in game with CSI: Miami), and, in my opinion, he gave a very decent, weighted main hero's performance. Once again I learn afterwards that someone had been nominated for a Razzie, and this time it was Caruso for the worst new star. Why? I truly don't know, but I've seen way worse. As for Samuel L. Jackson, he has relatively little screen time, Hunt, Rhames and Tucci - even less.
Like with many thrillers back in the day, "Kiss of Death", although appearing dangerous and possibly more atmospheric than half of the crime flicks of the 90's, never truly feels like much is at stake, a soft resolution is reluctantly expected, and a soft resolution is received. Eventually, "Kiss of Death" is just another thriller, just with a top-notch Cage, many exciting names filling the rest of the roles, and a respectable seriousness in the air all the way through. My rating: 6/10.