Dutch is taken with Billy, a poor Brooklyn Irish youth, who bluffs his way into the organization. Soon Billy proves his loyalty by showing that a henchman, Bo (Bruce Willis) has been cheating Dutch. Bo's girlfriend Drew (Nicole Kidman) gets mixed up in this, by becoming Dutch's woman after he gives Bo concrete shoes. Billy is taken with his new life, throwing around money to his family and friends and becoming a minder for Drew when Dutch is too busy for her.
Dutch is trying to create a clean image to block a trial that is coming up, while Billy is increasingly enchanted by Drew, and increasingly over his head in the gangster's dealings.
Hoffman as Dutch I don't think was the right choice, he seems too much of a character actor and a bit too schticky for this role. Dutch was a short-tempered blowhard who sobbed that he mistreated by other gangsters. If you lie down with dogs...
Kidman was a good choice but her character type was typical gangster's moll who was shunted around between men, and was just the desirable dame with the sad life that the hero wants to protect, a character we've seen many times before.
The way Billy is portrayed is meant to show him as a youth who got turned to the wrong side, hardened, then softened by his love for Lola, but his story too has been done before. There are a thousand variations of a gangster and "redeemed" by the love of a girl. I wanted the characters to deviate more from stock personifications we've seen before.
Steven Hill as a more levelheaded henchman did a good job. Supporting cast includes Stanley Tucci as Lucky Luciano, Mike Starr and Steve Buscemi as other gangsters.
No comments:
Post a Comment