Gunshy (1998)

The only reason I watched this film was I'd read Michael Wincott had a leading role in it. Wincott is a superb character actor and always delivers in his villainous roles, proving the devil really does have the best tunes. This is another villain, on the surface, a brutal enforcer for the Irish mob in Atlantic city but Wincott, gives us something else as well, a sweetness and vulnerability that makes a interesting paradox for this type of movie and character. The other leads are filled out by the always watchable Diane Lane and William Petersen, whom, with Wincott form the menage a trois at the heart of the story. Director Jeff Celentano has also assembled an intriguing supporting cast of name actors; R Lee Ermey (Wasted in a bit part right at the beginning of the film), Michael Byrne, who is chillingly sinister despite the broadest Irish accent heard on cellulloid, Meat Loaf in a cameo that kickstarts the plot and Kevin Gage (Best known as Waingro in Heat) as an intense detective involved in a plot twist that comes out of leftfield and sort of works. So far, so good but where the film falls down, is a sometimes woeful script that at times makes you want to laugh in disbelief, the most ridiculous moment being Petersen singing "What shall we do with the drunken sailor", at length, whilst waiting as the getaway driver during a heist! Petersen was yet to star in C.S.I but had already been a very capable leading man in the likes of Michael Mann's "Manhunter" amongst others. Here, he is one note and irritating for much of the film, though he does improve, and it is hard to see why Lane's character would fall for him over the more charismatic Wincott. The plot, too seems somewhat contrived in bringing together Petersen and Wincott as friends but somehow the whole is better than the sum of it's parts. Once Wincott enters it is an engaging though flawed piece with good action sequences. With more care in the scripting this could have been a really good film but as it is, well worth a watch.

True art, a great film, in league with the best. I disagree with the pretentious criticisms herein written about GUNSHY. The story comes through time and technique to move the theater-goer as only great stories do, starting with Wm Shakespeare's works, down through the dramas of the great British and Russian writers, from Ernest Hemingway and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, through all the other great journalists of the 20th century, and to the few damned fine movies that Spain, France England, Chile, Mexico and the United States have brought to us.With films such as Gunshy, reviewers should rise above what they deem imperfect, to simply evaluate the human impact of a story? Taking a line from Gunshy, which borrowed it from Melville, "Look not too long upon the fire." . . . Read the reviews of real people below the Youtube screen of this film. We are the public, we are the final word in any review.

Actually the idea of one gangster who wants to be educated by that unemployed writer is quite brilliant. It has one great irony which could make a fine comedy, a good Action or a nice drama about the difference between the 2 worlds of them both. The movie cleverly tried to make a strange romance out of it with some thrill yet with a character's analysis that really says a lot about the personality of the contemporary cultured.I love it all together; the simple direction, the effective acting, the bluesy music. It was all about the fallen world of (Jake Bridges) and how this gifted man just loses it when he confines himself faraway beyond the factual humans & things, to become that isolated literate who cut all the bridges and had nothing to present nor to tell. But now the story to till about (or to report about to be precise !) is the life of that gangster who's shown as more sincere, honest and ethical ! It's that marvelous situation of one conscious brain but inanimate, and one twisted muscle but so active. So of course the world will be for the second man and when that second also searches for goodness, then the love too will be for him ! It's (Casablanca) again ! But with the famous sentimental exile as a modern cultured person who's less idealistic than the gangster ! Therefore the end here was ingenious with (Frankie McGregor/Michael Wincott) and (Melissa/Diane Lane) being together free under the sun - as he deserves her better - and (Jake Bridges/William Petersen) is in jail (metaphorically his own jail of misgivings) writing at last as he finally lived one experience to write about which came from his late interaction with real people, but again he was writing about them from the same idiot perspective : (I miss them. It's strange. The people whom you'd think that you would never love.. are the very ones whom last in your memory !) look at his ever dull point of view (you'd think that you would never love..) he still treats according to previous concept as they're all lower than him and he sadly still denies his love for them (they just in his memory !) even if they're fun to remember and painful to miss !So what's the motif of that (Rick Blaine)'s ugly new copy ? It's the human journey in the big world just to discover oneself ! and the self of that gallant authentic gangster was wanting such a good place in real life, so he won love. And that swindler learned loiterer who wants a book, money or even the same love perhaps will get everything except love. Why is that ?! Maybe because he was loving himself all along, seeing no one anyone except himself ! Or maybe because he is the perfect exile cultured who is meaner and less strong-willed than the ex-criminal. So what a satire this movie presents against (Bridges), and his likes, as the real criminal who's too detained and barren to learn or feel anything true and lasting.

Blew me away. Very impressed. This f-----ing movie GUNSHY has what movies today have totally missed and left behind, GOOD STORY TELLING and GOOD ACTING. It reminded me of the great movies I used to look forward to watching when I was growing up. Great characters and a story that pulls you in and ends with a twist. It's like the filmmakers must have used Casablanca or Mean Streets or something for their ideas, because of the cool film noir feel it had. Story was so involving and you felt like you were in it right there with the characters. I just ordered it the other day from Amazon and the only reason I did was because I love Gangster films. I watched it with my brother and we no idea what to expect and suddenly half way through, I realized I was into it and hooked. Michael Wincott tore it up, he should have gotten some kind of an award or something. All I've ever seen that guy do was play bad guys and they were always interesting but here he was kind of a modern day Humpfrey Bogart here. His performance is flawless, so believable. Diane Lane was so sexier than I've ever seen her and portrayed her character exactly like she lived in Atlantic City and was that girl. Bill Petersen I didn't know very well. I know he;s on that TV show CSI but I don't watch TV.Matter of fact I hate it.Petersen was really good though and right on the money as a guy you love to hate. The writing, the style, the Direction, the whole thing was something to cheer about. Check it out. That is, if you want to watch something that's different and way above the crap we're expected to pay eleven bucks to walk out of.