The Way of the Gun (2000)

Despite the cold-hearted nihilism of "The Way of the Gun" (a bleak movie to be sure), there's a scene that's always stood out to me. Ryan Phillippe and Benicio del Toro, guns loaded for an epic shootout, stroll into a brother full of lolling prostitutes. Phillippe clears his throat and the ladies take the hint and head for the door. It's such a subtle scene, but is also representative of the movie's overall sense of humor (excepting the punch to the face of Sarah Silverman in the opening scene, which is not at all subtle but still one for the ages).And there does exist an actual sense of humor, but you have to grit your teeth through the downbeat story to appreciate it. Phillippe and del Toro are like a woeful Butch and Sundance (in a Peckinpah world), and I love that the movie's nodding in those directions. There are plot twists and a good helping of pulpy dialog to keep things interesting, but this is one dark movie. Worth a watch? Absolutely.7/10

Parker (Ryan Phillippe) and Longbaugh (Benicio Del Toro) are two petty criminals with not much going for them. They come up with a scheme to kidnap surrogate Robin (Juliette Lewis) who is carrying a gangster's baby. She is under guard every moment by Jeffers (Taye Diggs) and Obecks (Nicky Katt).This starts with a pretty funny scene with a loudmouth Sarah Silverman pushing her boyfriend to fight Ryan Phillippe. She gets punched in the face and it's shockingly funny. I wish the rest of this is just as good. Writer/director Christopher McQuarrie has created something that is a little bit off. It's pulpy but it's way too much of a mess. It has a bit of action, but there are long stretches of boring inaction . It tries to be 'Pulp Fiction' but he ain't no Tarantino. But then who is? The dialog is stiff. Overall there is no likable character anywhere, not even Robin. There is no rooting interest. It is stretched out far too much after an interesting kidnapping start. McQuarrie is trying to do his own movie after the success of writing 'The Usual Suspects'. It shows some promise with some unusual touches. However this is a near miss overall.

Hard-Boiled Neo-Noir that was mostly Panned and a big Flop. Oscar Winner Mcquarrie (Writer/The Usual Suspects) now Pens and Directs this gritty, unpleasant, edgy, Violent, and absolutely underrated Movie. This is uneasy stuff, peppered with realistic Gun-Play filled with bloody mayhem. It is all done with wit and without clichés such as Slow-Motion or Shaky-Cam.It is Dialog Driven fueled by Ultra-Violence along a road filled with unappealing Characters, Backstabbers, and Slimy/Greedy Money Men. The most sympathetic is a Bag Man/Cleaner, played with impassioned intensity by James Caan ("You can assume one thing about a broken down Old Man...He's a survivor.").Also the Audience may feel compassion for Juliette Lewis who pulls out the stops here as an about to give Birth pregnant Woman that is central to the Plot. The two Leads pull together and are despicable but if you pay close attention there is a spark of Humanism way down in their Souls. This is not meant to be a good time Movie, but there is some Fun in watching this Stylish display of Gangsters and Street Criminals. A Film that is an energetic, Craftwork that was unfairly dumped on by Critics who must have missed the Originality and Knee-Jerked this into Rip-Off-Land. Not so. This is a somewhat new take and a fresh Story on some very rotten People. A must see for Fans of sharply Written Dialog and spiked up shoot-outs, all done quite well in this blackest of Black Comedies with a Heart of Darkness.

Ryan Phillippe isn't a very good actor, especially in this movie. He's completely and totally miscast in his role...now maybe that's not his fault, after all, they do have casting directors who are supposed to determine who is right for what roles, but you still can't let Phillippe off the hook for thinking he could play a part like this...He spends most of the movie using some sort of weird voice, it almost sounds like he's trying to channel vintage Pacino or something. Whatever it is, it doesn't work and he sounds like a moron.Now, I can buy Benecio Del Toro as a badass. He's greasy. He's tired-looking. He doesn't say much. But, he's also not very interesting. Just because you're a badass doesn't mean you're very much fun to watch and he certainly isn't.Also, someone needs to tell James Caan it's not 1972 anymore. He just shouldn't play a badass these days. It just looks ridiculous...I know he says something in the movie about how even though he's an old man, that just proves he's a survivor...or some crap like that, but, to me, it just seems like he's making excuses for looking like a nonthreatening old fart and hopes that by saying something like that he might con (or is it Caan?) a few people into still thinking he's tough.The only part of this movie worth watching is at the very beginning where Sarah Silverman gets punched in the face for being a mouthy rag. It's all downhill after that.