John Cusack is something like a friend -- it’s always a pleasure to spend time in his company. The same is not true for Billy Bob Thornton, but here his comic sleaze is put to good effect. There is effective supporting work from Connie Neilson, Oliver Platt, and Randy Quaid. Harold Ramis directed the imperishable Groundhog Day and other estimable films; Robert Benton and Richard Russo have written some notable scripts (and the latter some favorite novels of mine); this contemporary noir clocks in efficiently at an hour and a half. So why did the movie sink like a stone last year? And why can’t I recommend it as an undiscovered gem. Maybe the humor gets in the way of its darkness or the darkness gets in the way of its humor. It’s setting in Wichita is not far from Fargo, but it’s tone is less certain. On a cold and rainy Christmas Eve, mob lawyer Cusack and pornography czar Thornton look to embezzle $2 mil from mob boss Quaid, with femme fatale Nielson also hanging in the balance. They’re well out of their depth, and complications ensue as Cusack goes from one titty bar to the next, getting drunker amidst the tinsel and carols of the season. If your expectations are low, you may well enjoy this genre exercise. (2005, dvd, n.) *6* (MC-62.)
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