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Reviews
Tough Guys Don't Dance (1987)
Could have used a few more Wings.
I once had the opportunity to tell Mr. Mailer how much I enjoyed his book and he told me he owed his publisher one more novel so he wrote it to get out of his contract as quickly as possible. I get the feeling this movie was produced in much the same manner. While I loved Lawrence Tierney and Wings Hauser, the rest of the characters, as well as the plot, are as contrived as any Spike Lee movie I've ever seen. Friends of mine hail this as the "New England Blue Velvet" which would explain Isabella Rossellini but I'm not a big fan of David Lynch either. For better or worse, I am addicted to (Neo) Noir and Wings Hauser is the perfect foil for this genre. The best that can be said about the film is his scenes make the movie palatable.
Dog Eat Dog (2016)
Tough to stomach but worth a look
"When you've had money you never really know who your friends are". This bit of wisdom spoken by Nic Cage is one of the truest things you will ever hear, and unfortunately, represents one of the few highlights of the movie. The glue of the film is the endearing characters. Dafoe brings his usual 'A' game. "Diesel" ( Christopher Matthew Cook) is a psychotic Teddy Bear. Cage is at the center and performs adequately. The crimes this trio commit do not lack for realism but the blood and guts frequently take the film into the horror realm. You will hear echoes of Tarantino as hit men discuss existential issues but the film is darker and slower than QT's breezy, machine gun style. The ending is disappointing but despite its obvious flaws its worth a look.