Some of the most interesting films of the 1980s offer a heady mix of a B-movie ethos, a focus on unpleasant people in unpleasant situations, disturbing undercurrents, and haunting imagery. COHEN AND TATE is a noteworthy example of this tendency and a remarkably assured first film for
writer-director Eric Red. COHEN AND TATE begins at a farm in Oklahoma, where nine-year-old Travis Knight (Harley Cross) and his family are hiding under FBI protection after Travis witnesses a mob hit. When Cohen (Roy Scheider) and Tate (Adam Baldwin) show up, the two hit men kill the boy's family
and kidnap the child, planning to take him to their mob bosses in Houston. The film turns into a very grim variation on O. Henry's "The Ransom of Red Chief" as the boy sizes up the tense group dynamics and begins setting the men against each other.
COHEN AND TATE works because of its unapologetic B-movie style, including its underlying themes. The performances are terrific. Although more than half the film's action takes place in a car, COHEN AND TATE is never boring, thanks to Red's crackling dialogue and interesting visual style. COHEN AND TATE
is a suspenseful, funny, and insightful thriller that should please people with a taste for something different and subversive. leave a comment
