Although I'm not sure this film works as a thriller, it is an effective character study. Babee is the reclusive son of a late television star who lives alone in a large, somewhat decrepit, Hollywood mansion. His only friend is a beautiful young neighbor who grew up with him. His life changes drastically when a troubled couple (Rutger Hauer and Virginia Madsen) moves in next door. Hauer's amoral character, Keith Miller, decides to tutor Babee in the finer things in life (drinking, gambling and women). After Miller is severely brain damaged in an accident, Babee becomes his caretaker. When Miller's enemies start dying, however, Babee becomes convinced that Miller is faking his injury. Although most people could predict the ending around the beginning of the movie, "Lying in Wait" is well made and the acting is very good.
Reviews
8 Reviews
Wonder Boys
(2000)
A Wonder
11 April 2001
Why didn't this movie win all the Oscars? It was by far the best-written, best acted film that I saw last year. Michael Douglas gives the finest performance of his career as a fifty-something professor with an adolescent attitude who reluctantly becomes a father figure to a troubled talented student. The movie is never predictable, the plot is hilarious and yet the characters seem completely real. Everyone has to see this movie.
Split Second
(1992)
Loved This Movie
11 April 2001
After reading some reviews and the other viewers' comments, I wasn't sure what I would think of "Split Second." After seeing it, however, I have to say that it was just terrific. It's a clever, funny sci fi movie with great characters.
The movie is set in London in the near future. Global warming has caused the Thames to rise and everyone walks around in a foot or so of filthy water. Pollution is so bad that the city is dark all the time. The rats have become huge, vicious and ubiquitous. (Sounds funny so far, right? With President W, this future may be closer than we think.)
Rutger Hauer plays Harley Stone a heavily armed cop who is hunting for his partner's killer. He feels particularly guilty about his partner's death because he had been having an affair with the man's wife. (Kim Cattrell) When it becomes clear that the same killer murdered Stone's partner and a number of other victims, the police department assigns Dick Dirkin, played by Neil Duncan, as Stone's partner. Dirkin's views on the occult, comic books and death, and his relationship with Stone, give the movie its funniest moments.
From a woman's perspective, Hauer is gorgeous and Duncan is cute as a button. Wonderful movie.
The movie is set in London in the near future. Global warming has caused the Thames to rise and everyone walks around in a foot or so of filthy water. Pollution is so bad that the city is dark all the time. The rats have become huge, vicious and ubiquitous. (Sounds funny so far, right? With President W, this future may be closer than we think.)
Rutger Hauer plays Harley Stone a heavily armed cop who is hunting for his partner's killer. He feels particularly guilty about his partner's death because he had been having an affair with the man's wife. (Kim Cattrell) When it becomes clear that the same killer murdered Stone's partner and a number of other victims, the police department assigns Dick Dirkin, played by Neil Duncan, as Stone's partner. Dirkin's views on the occult, comic books and death, and his relationship with Stone, give the movie its funniest moments.
From a woman's perspective, Hauer is gorgeous and Duncan is cute as a button. Wonderful movie.
Bone Daddy
(1998)
A Good Little Thriller
5 March 2001
This movie is actually a pretty good little thriller. Rutger Hauer plays a former medical examiner who has now become a best selling mystery writer. When he writes a fictional account of an unsolved case, the murderer starts killing again, this time targeting people close the the writer.
Unlike so many action films, this movie focuses on the characters more than the violence. Hauer's character, William Palmer, is an arrogant egotistic man who is estranged from his adult son. His attempts to connect with his angry offspring and his grandchildren are quite interesting (and eventually become central to the plot). In addition, Barbara Williams is quite good as the detective assigned to investigate the latest crimes. I had never seen her before, but I was impressed with her performance.
The movie is set in Chicago. Since I live in a Chicago suburb and work in the Loop, a couple of things in the movie amused me. First, although there is some stock footage of the city, it could be obvious to anyone who lives here that none of the scenes were filmed in Chicago or the surrounding area. That impression was confirmed by the thanks to the Toronto Film Commission at the end of the credits. Second, the movie makes it seem that the Cook County Medical Examiner is a major public figure. To be honest, I doubt that 90% of the people in Chicago could tell you who the M.E. is. In addition, I don't think your average M.E gets paid enough to buy a huge mansion on the lakefront.
Those are minor quibbles, however. Really, the movie is pretty good.
Unlike so many action films, this movie focuses on the characters more than the violence. Hauer's character, William Palmer, is an arrogant egotistic man who is estranged from his adult son. His attempts to connect with his angry offspring and his grandchildren are quite interesting (and eventually become central to the plot). In addition, Barbara Williams is quite good as the detective assigned to investigate the latest crimes. I had never seen her before, but I was impressed with her performance.
The movie is set in Chicago. Since I live in a Chicago suburb and work in the Loop, a couple of things in the movie amused me. First, although there is some stock footage of the city, it could be obvious to anyone who lives here that none of the scenes were filmed in Chicago or the surrounding area. That impression was confirmed by the thanks to the Toronto Film Commission at the end of the credits. Second, the movie makes it seem that the Cook County Medical Examiner is a major public figure. To be honest, I doubt that 90% of the people in Chicago could tell you who the M.E. is. In addition, I don't think your average M.E gets paid enough to buy a huge mansion on the lakefront.
Those are minor quibbles, however. Really, the movie is pretty good.
Redline
(1997)
A Mess
3 March 2001
This movie has two pluses in its favor. First, Rutger Hauer looks great. Second, the sets and art direction are very interesting. The movie has a strange blend of Old World buildings, futuristic props and 1940's style furniture. Other movies (yes, most notably Blade Runner) have used a similar look more successfully, but the total effect was still compelling. I did get the impression, however, that they used the same building over and over and just changed the furniture when it was supposed to be a different location.
Unfortunately, the filmmakers appear to have spent so much money on the set that they had no funds for other essential movie elements such as a script that made sense, costumes for the actresses and an acting coach. I found the plot utterly incomprehensible. I have no idea why any character in the movie did any of the things he/she did. I have no idea what the ending was supposed to mean.
Equally baffling was the fact that the women in the movie wore no clothes. The film is set in Moscow; you'd think they would get cold. Okay, I can understand that prostitutes in brothels are not going to fully clad, but come on--topless women boxers? nude women assassins?
Finally, with the exception of Hauer (who really has given some great performances in his career), no one in this movie can act. NO ONE!! Robbie the Robot gave better line readings.
In short, if you're looking for a movie filled with meaningless violence and even more meaningless sex, you'll love this one.
Unfortunately, the filmmakers appear to have spent so much money on the set that they had no funds for other essential movie elements such as a script that made sense, costumes for the actresses and an acting coach. I found the plot utterly incomprehensible. I have no idea why any character in the movie did any of the things he/she did. I have no idea what the ending was supposed to mean.
Equally baffling was the fact that the women in the movie wore no clothes. The film is set in Moscow; you'd think they would get cold. Okay, I can understand that prostitutes in brothels are not going to fully clad, but come on--topless women boxers? nude women assassins?
Finally, with the exception of Hauer (who really has given some great performances in his career), no one in this movie can act. NO ONE!! Robbie the Robot gave better line readings.
In short, if you're looking for a movie filled with meaningless violence and even more meaningless sex, you'll love this one.
Bleeders
(1997)
Yuck!!!
2 March 2001
First, a caveat. Rutger Hauer is one of my favorite actors and I usually enjoy sci fi/horror films. This movie, however, is just a mess--poorly written, poorly acted and utterly senseless. (Although the Canadian location is beautiful. I loved the long shots of the island and the lighthouse. Maybe the filmmakers should have made a travelogue.) Unless you have a fetish for really bad movies, stay away from this one.
Partners in Crime
(2000)
Surprisingly good.
25 February 2001
"Partners in Crime" is a surprisingly good little movie. Okay, you know who the villain is in the first half hour, but the story still contains enough surprises to be interesting. Rutger Hauer (who's one of my favorite actors even in bad movies) is very good as a small town detective who's reunited with his ex-wife, a successful FBI agent. He has great scenes with the actress who plays the ex-wife and with the young girl who plays his daughter from a subsequent marriage. For a film that's marketed as a B-movie action flick, there is actually a great deal of character development and some very good performances. If you're bored with everything in the new releases section at the video store, try this one.
A Midnight Clear
(1992)
Wonderful
2 January 2001
This movie is a little known treasure. It is one of the best antiwar films I have ever seen. The next time you're in the video store, pass on the new releases and try this wonderful film. The story is different and compelling and the performances are terrific. When the movie first came out, the only actor in the cast that I had heard of was Gary Sinese. Now most of them have become fairly well known.
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