Why The Shield is the best show on television...or, at least, the best show you're not watching

Starring: Michael Chiklis, Walton Goggins, Kenneth Johnson, David Rees Snell, Jay Karnes, CCH Pounder, Benito Martinez, Michael Jace
Created by: Shawn Ryan
Running time: Approx. 45 minutes per episode



Please forgive the hyperbole of the title of this post, but I feel it's warranted. Is The Shield the best show on television? Well, I try to stay away from saying things like that because, frankly, I haven't seen a lot of television. Even if you watch a lot of shows, there's no way to catch up on ALL of them, and to make a declaration like that, that's what you would need to do.

So no, I can't quite say it is, for sure, the best show on television. I'd say it's up there, though. It's close. Really close. In fact, there have only been two shows I've ever seen that have surpassed it: The Simpsons (only through the first nine seasons or so) and the incredibly beautiful Six Feet Under (here's" my write-up on that, in case you missed it).

You'll notice I've only written about two shows in the two year history of this blog, this one being the second. There's a reason for that: there are very few shows that I'm as passionate about as these two. I wouldn't come on here and spend a considerable amount of time writing up this blog that only two or three people will read if I didn't feel it was justified.

The truth is, I know that there's a very good chance no one will listen to my recommendation on this (or anything else in this blog, for that matter). But I'm writing this for a reason: if I can get one person, one single person, to give this show a chance, then I've succeeded. And if you're that person- well, don't blame me when you become completely absorbed and addicted. Seriously. I take no responsibility for what happens next.

I admit that I'm not a particularly huge fan of cop dramas. I don't have anything against them, per se, but nothing about them really stands out to me. We've all seen it before, in different variations: The rogue cop who plays by his own rules; the police captain who is trying to reign him in; the murder of the week that neatly gets solved by the end of each episode; the morality play of sorts where good cops face off against bad, all while the hard environment of the street dictates life around them.





Now, I'll be honest here. Is The Shield going to fall into that category? You're absolutely right, it does. I can't argue that. What I can say is this: anyone who knows me knows that I can't stand anything generic. Can't stand it. Generic means bland and predictable, and that's the quickest way to turn me off to any TV show or movie. If I've seen it a hundred times before, I'm not interested in seeing it again.

And a lot of times, I hear people say, "Well, this one puts a fresh spin on it." And you know what? Most of the time, it isn't fresh enough.

So, I completely understand any skepticism one might have venturing into the first episode of The Shield. Almost immediately, you are bombarded by these clichés, and it's very easy to dismiss the show as just another cop show that you've seen a hundred times. And, of course, there's the promise that this one is different.

Well, I wouldn't be writing this blog right now if the show hadn't won me over.
Truly, if The Shield had fallen right into that generic trap and stayed there, I would have been done with it after only an episode or two. But you know what? Something happens at the end of the first episode- a twist that I didn't see coming at all- and I was hooked.

And from that point forward, The Shield officially took possesion of my soul. I'd burn through two or three episodes a night sometimes, unable to turn away. I just couldn't go to bed without finding out what happened next. This show was like nothing I had ever seen before.

What The Shield does is take the basic premise we've all seen before, and spin it in completely new directions. There are tons of twists and turns in the plot, yet none of it feels contrived. All of the plot points evolve organically and logically, so when something does seem to spring from left field, it actually does jolt you- and it's all the more shocking and exciting because it makes perfect sense within the context of the story.

The creators hardly ever resort to cheap tricks, like the dreaded deux ex machina. I'm not saying that it never happens, because there have been a few (emphasis on the word few) very small instances where they relied on something that felt a bit too contrived for its own good. But those moments are so few and far between, and the writing is so good, that you can easily forgive and forget almost immediately when they do spring up.

The show itself is written brilliantly. Characters that could have easily turned into two-dimensional walking clichés are instead fully fleshed out, so they feel like real people. So as the story goes on, and the stakes begin to raise higher and higher, they've got you hooked the whole way: you're emotionally connected to every single main character on the show, which isn't an easy task considering there are eight of them (off the top of my head).

It is because of this that they can hit you with that sledgehammer later on: when something bad happens to one of the characters, you are so connected to them that it feels like a physical punch to the gut. It takes some seriously good writing to be able to pull that of well, but the folks behind The Shield pull it off perfectly.

Let's get into those characters a little bit. The first is our main character, Vic Mackey, played with grit and real emotional depth by Michael Chickliss (whom you may remember as The Thing from the Fantastic Four movies).

Vic is, like a lot of people, a very morally complex person. On the one hand, he does have a good heart, and you get the feeling that he became a cop to try and do good in the world. On the other hand, he's not above being greedy, and resorting to breaking the law and acts of abhorrent violence to either progess his own agenda or because he feels it a necessary evil to get the bad guys off the streets.

This creates an interesting moral juxtaposition that I found myself struggling with: on the one hand, part of me was rooting for him to go down, at least at first. On the other hand, part of my sympathized with his character (call it the Tony Soprano syndrome) and was actually in his corner, hoping he slipped by the ever-closing circle of authority that wanted him to go down.

At least that's what happened initially. But much like the aforementioned mobster protagonist, eventually my sympathy won out, and while I certainly can't defend many of Macky's actions, I did come around to being almost completely on his side. It kind of makes the show more enjoyabe to be able to root for the "good guy."

Of course, your mileage may vary, and that's the beauty of the show: many of the characterrs, including out main character, aren't exclusively good. These aren't cowboys in white or black hats, drawn in broad strokes and two dimensions. These are complex characters who flirt with both good and evil, and the show leaves it up to you to decide exactly how to feel about that.





Of course, as it did with me, Mackey's better qualities may eventually win you over. Watching the good that he does accomplish certainly helps to offset some of his worse traits.

And that's another moral question posed to the audience- how far is too far? And is it sometimes ok to go there? Is it ok to take matters into your own hands, sometimes bypassing the strict moral code of the law if it means getting, say, a child molester off the street? Is anyone really going to be upset if said molester has his civil rights violated, or if he gets roughed up a bit? It's an interesting question that lies just beneath the surface of everything Vic Mackey and his team do.

Mackey is the head of the Strike Team, whose responsibility is to clean up the streets of the fictional Farmington district of Los Angeles and deal with the overwhelming gang and drug problem.

The team is filled out by three other guys: Shane Vendrell (Walton Goggins), Vic's right-hand-man who crosses the line almost more than Vic does; Curtis "Lemonhead" Lemansky (Kenny Johnson), the conscience of the Strike Team, and oftentimes the only voice of moral reason; and Ronnie Gardocki (David Rees Snell), considered by many fans to be "the quiet one," yet is another vital part of the team's formula.

The captain of The Barn (the name of the police station) is David Aceveda (Benito Martinez), whose top priority, it seems, is to bring down Vic, who he is sure is completely corrupt. On the other hand, Aceveda knows that Vic's tactics work, and he frequently contradicts his own ambitions of seeing Vic brought to justice by looking the other way when Vic's tactics are the most efficient way to resolve a situation.

Julien Lowe (Michael Jace) is the rookie of the squad, and the exact antithesis of Vic: deeply religious and morally resolved, Julien struggles to adjust to the world of The Barn, specifically when dealing with the corruption he sees all around him.

Claudette Wyms (CCH Pounder) is a seasoned detective whose main focus is homicide investigation. She, too, is pretty by the book, and doesn't like the corruption she shes boiling just under the surface all around her.

Finally, there is Holland "Dutch" Wagenbach (Jay Karnes), the main homicide detective who works alongside Claudette. Dutch is one of my absolute favorite characters from the show. Beneath his quiet and socially awkward demeanor lies a complex and multilayered personality. He is oftentimes the laughing-stock of the Barn, especially due to his ongoing uneasy relationship with Vic.

But Dutch is very smart and perceptive, and can solve murder cases like no one else at the Barn. It's fascinating to watch him delve into these investigations and especially the interrogations that follow, as he slowly winds his way through a suspect's psychology to get to the truth. He's the exact opposite of Vic: while Vic certainly does use his smarts as well, he relies on brute force to get the information he needs. Dutch has a stricter moral code than that, and doesn't need it anyway. He's a genius at figuring out the way people tick, and using it to his advantage.





I can honestly say that The Shield is one of the most suspenseful things I have ever seen. That goes for movies or television. The writers build and build the tension, and just when you think something has to break, that they've built it up enough, they figure out a way to build it more. And the best part is, the payoff is always worth it. I can't say that for every television show I've seen (*cough*The Sopranos*cough) but I can most definitely say it for this show.

I can't stress enough that the show really does step outside of the normal cop-show boundaries, even if the basic premise itself isn't exactly groundbreaking. They take the basic idea that we've seen a hundred times, and really breathe new life into it. The storylines are rich, intriguing and surprisingly complex: I find myself oftentimes a bit lost in the plot, because there are so many different storylines going on at one time, many of them soaked in detail, that I can't keep up.

I know I'm being repetitive here, but I can't stress this enough: this is, without a doubt, one of the most suspenseful pieces of entertainment I have ever seen. That goes for movies, too. I am kind of amazed sometimes at the quality of writing on this show, and the fact that they can make things so tense, and create twists so shocking, yet keep it grounded in enough reality that it doesn't lose you.

Bottom line is, The Shield is an absolutely amazing show, and well worth the time and effort. The first six seasons are out on DVD already, and the seventh and final season will probably be out relatively soon.

I know this is probably the most obvious statement in the world, but this really is a show that you're going to want to watch from the beginning. And you'll be hooked.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: trust me on this one.

Zack and Miri make a mediocre movie

Zack and Miri Make A Porno
Rated R for: strong crude sexual content, graphic nudity and pervasive language
Running Time: 1 hr, 41 min
Starring: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson

Rating (out of four):



Make no mistake about it: Kevin Smith is a funny dude. Just watch either of his Evening With Kevin Smith DVDs, in which the filmmaker stood in front of a crowd of college students for two hours and did what was essentially a Q&A session, and you'll see what I mean. The guy is smart, down to earth and, most importantly, funny. Really funny.

The problem with Kevin Smith is, that humor doesn't always translate to his films. Thus is the problem with his latest, Zack and Miri Make A Porno, in which Smith seems almost like he's trying to mimic the Judd Apatow school of comedy (in reality, it's probably the other way around) but, for the most part, fails.

Smith mistakes raunch and sex for comedy, which can be great in the hands of a filmmaker who really knows how to utilize the subjects well (see the aforementioned Apatow), but when done wrong, it can go south rather quickly (no pun intended).

Now, to be fair, I've only seen a few Kevin Smith movies. One of them I liked (Chasing Amy), the other two I didn't (Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back). So I can't really attest to his other three films.

Zack (Seth Rogen) is a twentysomething schlub working at a coffee place that resembles your typical Starbucks. He and his roommate and best friend Miri (Elizabeth Banks) are in dire straits: They can't make the rent or pay the bills on their rundown house, and it looks like they might end up homeless. Things are so bad, in fact, that as the movie begins, the water gets shut off to their place, right as Miri is taking a shower.

Sometimes inspiration comes from unexpected places, and in this case in comes in the form of a gay porn actor at Zack and Miri's high school reunion. After striking up a conversation with Brandon (Justin Long) and finding out he's in gay porn, Zack has a revelation: If he makes an amateur porn film, maybe enough people at his reunion will be morbidly curious and buy it, earning him enough money to save his house.

He convinces his friend and fellow barista Delany (a very funny Craig Robinson, a veteran of Apatow's films and Darrl on The Office) to spot him the money and become a producer on the film.




With a group of inept friends as his crew and amateurs as his cast, Zack sets out to make his adult film debut. The centerpiece of that debut: A sex scene between himself and Miri, who have never done anything with each other. This, of course, leads to apprehension and, ultimately, complications. As the moment of truth nears, the question lingers in the air: What will become of their friendship once this is over? Will there even be a friendship left?

Thus is the driving force behind the real story here, which is the friendship between Zack and Miri. It's also the heart of the film, and, to Smith's credit, he doesn't milk it as much as he can, driving it into overly sentimental territory.

The problem with the film isn't the friendship and subsequent dramatic tension that ensues. The problem is that the movie just plain isn't very funny. Yes, there are funny moments, and quite a few of them. However, the funny moments are, oddly enough, at the beginning and the end of the film, leaving most of the middle filled with joke after joke that falls flat. As I mentioned earlier in the review, raunchy jokes can be very funny if done right, but in this case they weren't. I found myself spending a decent amount of the movie not laughing. The story does (for the most part) keep your interest the whole way, and the payoff is more than satisfying, but it takes quite awhile to get there, and I'm not sure it's really worth it in the end.

Zack and Miri isn't a bad way to kill a couple of hours if you have nothing better to do, and it's probably worth a viewing on DVD, at the very least. But it's not worth rushing out to see.

The indelible sound of Thunder

Tropic Thunder
Rated R for: pervasive language including sexual references, violent content and drug material
Running Time: 1 hr, 46 min
Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte

Rating: Three stars (out of four)


Tropic Thunder is over the top. Way over the top, actually, which doesn't really work in its favor. Many of the jokes fall flat. And for the majority of the movie, it stays right there at just good- above average, but not quite reaching greatness.

No, what really works in Tropic Thunder's favor are the last twenty minutes or so of the movie, when everything comes together and it starts firing on all cylinders. Then the movie becomes hilarious, and bumps up the overall experience considerably. Without the last section of the movie, I would not be giving it an (admittely somewhat reluctant) three-star review.

But rest assured- the movie itself is certainly watchable up until that point, even pretty funny at times. But it's more than worth it to get to the last twenty minutes, which reward you for your patience.

Oh, and then there's Robert Downey Jr.'s performance, which steals the show. Jack Black, who attempts self-parody here (which is commendable) comes off as his usual goofy self- there's nothing particularly great about his performance. Same goes for Ben Stiller, who, while certainly not phoning his performance in, wasn't exactly mind-blowing, either.

Neither did a bad job, and they're fine for the movie. But, again, it's really Downey who steals the show here.

Tropic Thunder starts in the jungles of Vietnam in the present day. Tropic Thunder, the movie within a movie about the Vietnam war, is being filmed here. Its unlikely cast includes Tugg Speedman (Stiller) an action star out to prove that he also has serious dramatic chops; Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) a goofy comedic film star out to prove the same thing; Alpha Chino (Brandon Jackson) a rapper-turned-actor; Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel, probably best known as one of Seth Rogen's pals in Knocked Up) as the only sane one of the bunch; and, of course, Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey, Jr.).

Kirk is a five-time Academy Award winning white Australian actor who is so immersed in method acting that he does the ultimate preparation for his role as a black soldier- he has an extreme cosmetic procedure to actually turn his skin black.

Some of the funniest bits of the movie revolve around the continuing annoyance that Lazarus (never breaking character) supplies Chino, who never hesitates to remind him that he's not actually a black man, but a white Australian trying to be something he's not. As you can imagine, it certainly makes for some very interesting comedy.

Ok, back to the plot- after a pompous and angry studio exec (a funny cameo, but I won't spoil it for you here) nearly pulls the plug on the whole production, the director decides to go in a completely different direction: send the actors into the jungle by themselves, give them an outline of the script and film them with hidden cameras. No crew, no craft servies, and, gravest of all to the actors, no cell phones. They're going to have to learn how to do this guerilla style.

Complications, of course, ensue, and soon the actors find themselves on the wrong side of a Vietnamese drug lord and his gang, and come to realize that this isn't part of the film: this danger is all real.

Meanwhile, there is a running subplot about Tuggman's agent (played brilliantly by Matthew Mcconaughey) trying to get his client the Tivo he was promised in his contract. He makes it his life's mission. And the conclusion of this subplot is one of the absolute funniest and most unexpected gags in the entire movie.

Finally, there's a subplot involving "Four Leaf" Tayback (Nick Nolte) and Cody (Danny McBride, seen in the recent Pineapple Express), the man on whom the "movie" is based and the pyrotechnics guy, respectively, who end up in deep waters of their own. This story is probably the least interesting in the film, but not unwatchable.





The performances are fearless, and the actors clearly show that they have a great sense of humor, considering how biting the satire can be. No one is spared, which makes the film all the more watchable.

The entire movie is a satire on the film industry, a brand of comedy that I'm a sucker for. As mentioned, it goes a bit too far over the top, which kills some of the comedy, but overall it's still pretty funny throughout.

Again, I'm giving this three stars because of the ending. Without that last chunk of the movie, I'd probably only grant this two and a half. But it was worth it for the end, and, as I said, the rest of the movie is still pretty enjoyable, but the end really sealed the deal.

Sarah Marshall is unforgettable

Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Rated R for: sexual content, language and some graphic nudity
Running Time: 1 hr, 52 min
Starring: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand

Rating: Three and a half stars (out of four)

In theatres now



Let me tell you something right now: Judd Apatow is an absolute genius.

I've seen five movies now that were either directed or produced by the man, and was only let down by one. Superbad was, unfortunately, a let down (though I still reserve that a second viewing may change my opinion) but the rest more than made up for it. Knocked Up was a very good film, Anchorman was quite enjoyable and much, much better than I expected, and, of course, The 40 Year Old Virgin was freakin' awesome, and has cemented me as an Apatow fan for life.

And, of course, there's Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which Apatow produced. I am now convinced the man can practically do no wrong.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is one of those rare films that really takes a while to come into complete fruition: the first half of the movie is quite enjoyable, but not all that hilarious. Then something happens and suddenly, with one scene, the movie goes from just average to absolutely terrific- and from chuckle-worthy to absolutely hilarious. All of a sudden, everything clicks, and the movie starts firing on all cylinders, and from about the halfway point on, the movie is genius.

Jason Segel (probably best known from Freaks and Geeks) wrote and stars in the film as Peter, a music composer and aspiring playwright who is in love with our title character (played perfectly by Kristen Bell of Veronica Mars fame.)

Of course, as we know, love doesn't always work out, and in this case, there wouldn't be a movie without some heartbreak.

Sarah returns home from a trip and Peter couldn't be more excited to see her. In fact, he's quite nude when she arrives home, which couldn't be more awkward when she breaks the news to him that she's dumping him. Of course, Peter's refusal to put on any clothes certainly doesn't make the situation any easier (Peter's response to her request for him to get dressed: "Would you like to pick out the outfit that you break up with me in?")





Depressed and alone, Peter decides to take an impromptu trip to Hawaii, in an attempt to get Sarah out of his head. Unfortunately, when he arrives, Sarah is not only vacationing there as well, but is staying at the same hotel as Peter with her new beau Aldous (a very funny Russell Brand.)

Aldous is everything Peter's not: a sharply handsome, muscular, hugely popular rock singer, and, to make matters worse, he's an incredibly nice guy, which makes it harder for Peter to hate him.

Of course, there has to be hope for Peter, otherwise movies like this just wouldn't work. In this case it comes in the form of front desk clerk Rachel (Mila Kunis of That 70s Show fame, who turns in a terrific and endearing performance.) She's also getting over a pretty nasty breakup, and the two quickly start to fall for each other.

Of course, things get more complicated from there, and I won't go any further lest I spoil the plot, but it definitely has a terrific story that keeps you interested right until the end (a pretty amazing feat considering most romantic comedies don't last for nearly two hours.)

As I said before, the characters are very likeable and the story is enjoyable right from the start, but it takes until about halfway through the movie before everything completely clicks, the humor really kicks into overdrive. It's totally worth it though, because the second half of this movie is absolutely hilarious.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is one of those increasingly rare films where it has everything going for it, and you walk out of the theatre feeling completely satisfied. I enjoyed it so much, in fact, that I'm even considering seeing it again tomorrow, even though I only got back from seeing it a couple of hours ago.

I cannot recommend the film enough. It's the best comedy I've seen in a long time.

A War worth supporting

Charlie Wilson's War
Rated R for: strong language, nudity/sexual content and some drug use
Running Time: 1 hr, 37 min
Starring: Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Amy Adams

Rating: Three stars (out of four)

In theatres now



In an age where most mainstream films seem to be shooting for mediocrity at best, it's nice when a film like Charlie Wilson's War comes around that not only tries to be a quality film, but also tries to tell a unique story, as well. Since quality film is in very short supply these days (at least from the studio system), Charlie Wilson stands out, even if, as a film, it's not exactly tremendous.

Which isn't to say it's bad, either. In fact, the film is far from that- it's a genuinely entertaining bit of fluff that has something on its mind, albeit it's more concerned with entertaining than preaching.

Charlie is based on the true story of the aforementioned title character, who, as a congressman in the early eighties, was a charming, if slightly misogynistic man who believed in having fun as well as taking care of business.

When Charlie (Tom Hanks) finds out about the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and subsequent slaughter of thousands of innocent people, he knows something needs to be done. You see, congress has given only $5 million dollars aid to the cause, which, relatively speaking, is mere peanuts, and they will need much, much more than that if they have any chance of fighting back and surviving.

So Charlie, with the help of his rich socialite friend, Joanne (Julia Roberts) and a C.I.A. agent (played with wonderful comedic chops by the always terrific Philip Seymour Hoffman) sets out to, essentially under the table, fund the Afghan's rebellion against the Soviets.






It's something almost completely unheard of: Charlie Wilson, nearly single-handedly, set out to start a covert war without the President's approval.

It certainly makes for an interesting and engaging story, but what really makes the film worth seeing are the performances by Hanks and Hoffman, who play off each other perfectly. While the movie could certainly be classified as a drama, it never teeters too far away from lighthearted moments, either, and there are plenty of huge laughs to be had throughout the running time.

I want to emphasize, again, just how great Philip Seymour Hoffman is in the role. In less talented hands, he could have easily turned into a one-dimensional caricature, but he breathes life into the character and practically steals the entire show.

Credit must also go to writer Aaron Sorkin (better known as the mastermind behind The West Wing) for his adaptation of the source novel, and director Mike Nichols, who manages to keep the tone of this comedy-drama from tipping too far into either the serious or lighthearted side of the fence.

As I said earlier, Charlie Wilson's War isn't a groundbreaking, amazing film by any means. But it is a very enjoyable one, and certainly worth the price of admission. In a time when most movies are easily forgotten as soon as you're back to your car, it's nice to have something of quality playing at the local multiplex. For that alone, it's worth seeing.

The Coens venture into uncharted Country

No Country for Old Men
Rated R for: strong graphic violence and some language
Running Time: 2 hr, 2 min
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Woody Harrelson

Rating: Two and a half stars (out of four)

In select theatres now


I've seen five movies from the Coen brothers now, and loved three of them: Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Big Lebowski and the criminally underrated and little seen The Man Who Wasn't There. I was neutral on Fargo, yet, because of my adoration for the aforementioned films I enjoyed, I was very, very excited to catch their latest, No Country for Old Men.

Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, No Country is an unconventional thriller, and who better to do unconventional than the guys who managed to make a movie whose plot centered around a rug and a guy simply named The Dude immensely enjoyable?

No Country begins in the Texas desert, close to the border with Mexico. We hear Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones, doing what he does best, for better or worse) in voiceover, talking about the old days, back when things were black and white- good guys were good, bad guys were bad, and, he says, there was a time when a sheriff didn't even carry a gun; didn't need to really.

Ah, but things have changed, and the opening voiceover foreshadows what is to come.

Cut to our protagonist, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin, whom you may remember as the creepy doctor in Grindhouse) out hunting in the desert when he stumbles upon a grizzly scene: Several abandoned pickup trucks, all turned into makeshift coffins for some poor, unsuspecting victims.

As he searches through the wreckage of a horrific murder, he finds a bag filled with money; about two million dollars worth, to be exact.

He soon finds out what we as an audience already kind of suspect: When you stumble across a murder scene and a load of cash, sometimes it may be best to leave temptation alone.

Of course, he doesn't, and thank goodness, because there wouldn't be a movie without this fateful decision.

That's where our villian comes in. Javier Bardem is probably best known in the states as star of the Spanish film The Sea Inside, which won the 2004 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Here he rivals Hannibal Lector in downright creepiness: He portrays Anton Chigurh, one of the most unrelenting, vicious, soulless serial killers to grace the screen in a long, long time. He's creepy in just the right way, and brilliant at the part.

As you have probably figured out by now, he's the rightful owner of the money Llewellen is now carrying. And he will stop at absolutely nothing to get it back. He also has no qualms about killing anyone and everyone in his path.

So, off Llewelyn goes, and from this point on it's a game of cat and mouse, with Sheriff Bell trying desperately to get to Llewelyn before Chigurh does. Not because he wants to arrest him, but because, he warns Llewelyn's wife, he wants to protect him. Because, he explains, Chigurgh is unstoppable.

And so it goes.





Unlike most thrillers, however, the twists here really are pretty damn unpredictable. Everything seems pretty conventional until the last third of the movie, when the Coens pull out all the stops.

And that, my friends, might be their downfall. I'm telling you right now, many people are going to hate this ending. Hell, I hated the ending at first, and I'm still not quite sure I liked it. I will say this: Given the context of the movie, the ending does make a lot of sense, even if you do end up hating it, and for that reason it has grown on me a bit.

Regardless, No Country for Old Men is an entertaining, unique film experience, and certainly worth your time, even if the ending gives you mixed feelings.

A Devil of a good time? Not so much.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Rated R for: a scene of strong graphic sexuality, nudity, violence, drug use and language
Running Time: 1 hr, 57 min
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei

Rating: Two stars (out of four)

In select theatres now



The Irish expression goes, "May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead."

And for the first half an hour or so, this movie does kind of feel like heaven, or at least has the potential to be so. And while it doesn't end up being hell, it could certainly qualify for purgatory.

Sidney Lumet, the near legendary director responsible for films such as Network and Dog Day Afternoon, has created a movie that tries very hard to be smarter than the room and, while not quite succeeding, doesn't exactly fall flat on its face, either.

Credit that to the always great performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke, who rise above mediocre material and breathe life into a film that would otherwise be very hard to sit through.

Hoffman plays Andy Hanson, a sleazy businessman in a desperate financial situation. He convinces his good-hearted brother, Hank (Ethan Hawke) to join him on a scheme that he guarantees will solve both their financial woes: Rob a jewelry store. And not just any jewelry store, mind you, but their parents' jewelry store.

Their plan is simple: Get in, get out, get the cash and some expensive jewelery, and make sure no one gets hurt and nothing gets complicated in the process. Things invariably go very, very wrong, and the brothers find themselves in trouble so deep they might not be able to make their way out of it.





It's not that the film is bad, really, it's that it just isn't very good. A robbery going wrong isn't exactly the freshest concept in the world, but credit Lumet and screenwriter Kelly Masterson for coming up with some original concepts. The problem is, just because something is original doesn't necessarily mean that it's all that interesting.

As mentioned, Hoffman is wonderful, as is Hawke. These aren't the best performances of their careers, but they do a fine job of making these characters leap out of the screen, at least as much as the material allows them. And Marissa Tomei isn't bad either as Andy's long-suffering wife.

There are, as you can imagine, quite a few twists and turns along the way, but nothing that really jumped out at me.

The structure of the movie, where scenes jump back and forth through time (specifically reminiscent of Memento) isn't distracting, really, but it doesn't add much to the film either. Unlike other films that have used this technique (the aforementioned Memento or, say, Pulp Fiction) you get the feeling that this one really didn't need that particular effect, which essentially makes it a gimick, unlike the examples listed. In other words, it's not a bad move, but it doesn't add to the movie much, either.

Of course, I could be wrong about that. I get the feeling it might take a second viewing to really decide if the techniques used are gimmicky or not.

Regardless, I'll probably never find out, because I really don't feel that Devil is worthy of a second chance. Take heed- it's not a bad flick, but not great either. It might be best to wait for DVD with this one.