Thoroughly enjoyable, there's nothing not to like about this film except Ms. Kukhianidze's hairstyle in every single scene save for the final casino outing, where she decides to comb it at long last.
The cast are nicely chosen for their roles, with Nick Nolte looking significantly better and more "together" at his character's lowest point in the film than he did in his real life mug shot. With a gravely voice that sounds like his throat has dealt with one too many cigars and one too many shots of booze, he wanders around in a daze all the while putting together an incredibly daring, multifaceted plan to loot a casino and trying to figure out how not to overdose on smack.
There's fun here for almost everyone, and the kids in particular will get a thrill seeing a transvestite capable of benching "400 lbs." hold a man over a balcony and threaten to drop him, then later ruin the robbery plan because (s)he is post-operatively afraid of spiders...
In the end it's Nick Nolte's semi-acting, semi-natural performance that carries the movie and makes it so easy for the audience to end up hoping a drug addicted, thieving loser ends up on top. Thankfully, he does, and the pace is such that we don't lose interest.
Incidentally, just a few rough points in the script: most Europeans would have said "180 kg" not "400 lbs." regardless of their current gender status, French police don't get involved in Monaco, and locals not on the lamb or not wanting to look odd wouldn't necessarily produce a passport at a "border" check nowadays, though this last point is perhaps the most realistic "oops" committed. Now, who decided the stop-frames are artistic? It made me question my freebie DVD copy or even my player.
Give the film a try, you'll most likely find something to like.
The cast are nicely chosen for their roles, with Nick Nolte looking significantly better and more "together" at his character's lowest point in the film than he did in his real life mug shot. With a gravely voice that sounds like his throat has dealt with one too many cigars and one too many shots of booze, he wanders around in a daze all the while putting together an incredibly daring, multifaceted plan to loot a casino and trying to figure out how not to overdose on smack.
There's fun here for almost everyone, and the kids in particular will get a thrill seeing a transvestite capable of benching "400 lbs." hold a man over a balcony and threaten to drop him, then later ruin the robbery plan because (s)he is post-operatively afraid of spiders...
In the end it's Nick Nolte's semi-acting, semi-natural performance that carries the movie and makes it so easy for the audience to end up hoping a drug addicted, thieving loser ends up on top. Thankfully, he does, and the pace is such that we don't lose interest.
Incidentally, just a few rough points in the script: most Europeans would have said "180 kg" not "400 lbs." regardless of their current gender status, French police don't get involved in Monaco, and locals not on the lamb or not wanting to look odd wouldn't necessarily produce a passport at a "border" check nowadays, though this last point is perhaps the most realistic "oops" committed. Now, who decided the stop-frames are artistic? It made me question my freebie DVD copy or even my player.
Give the film a try, you'll most likely find something to like.
