Yesterday, I had the distinct pleasure of finally going to the movies after almost a month of celluloid deprivation. Too bad the pleasure ended when I sat down in front of the screen. I watched a double feature, Epic Movie first, then Smokin' Aces.
We will look at Smokin' Aces first, not because of it was any better, but because I want to get them both over with so I can get to the two films I saw last night on DVD that were actually entertaining.
This film was, simply put, a mess. It had so much going on that it became difficult to follow the 'action' to its conclusion. It was also pretty easy to figure out most of the so called 'twists'.
Heck, if you have watched much television you will be able to figure out most of the things that are going on, which is a dang shame since this cast should have been able to bring almost any turkey to full roast. Here, however, they are hampered by a script and plot that are simply too obvious to really enjoy.
Dealing with a plan to kill a mob snitch named Buddy "Aces" Israel and steal his heart for an aging mobster, the story brings in several different teams of killers, including one enigmatic character named "The Swede."
Throughout the film, the characters just go on and on about what you have already seen on the screen. It just gets boring after a while. There were only three people who really held your attention, the two cops played by Ray Liotta and Ryan Reynolds, and one of Israel's entourage named Ivy. These folks showed emotion, style, and grace in a film where style and grace were often found lacking.
These actors went beyond their scripted characters and came across as human, becoming more then just the characters, but interesting people — people you might almost like to know. Almost everyone else came across as extras or the no-name characters you often see lurking about in a restaurant or audience in a TV series or movie.
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