Search

Men Of Means

1999, Movie, R, 80 mins

Men Of Means: Review

starstarstarstar
This contrived Mafia movie suffers by comparison with the better-crafted MONEY KINGS (1999), whose well-tailored script construction and flavorful dialogue lend it an air of authenticity. This film founders on too-numerous cliffhangers that relegate it to some second-string Mario Puzo ghetto. Too soft hearted to be a professional money-collector, ex-gridiron star Ricco Burke (Michael Pare) rubs venal mobster boss Tommy C. (Raymond Serra) the wrong way. Ricco vacillates when Tommy orders him to rough up debtor Jerry Trask (Austin Pendleton), and when Jerry's pals fight back, Ricco eliminates them. But he co-opts their plan to rip off Tommy C., and lets his dim-bulb brother Joey (Mark Hutchinson) in on the plan. Although Ricco steals Tommy C.'s counterfeit plates and cash, it's Joey who gets wounded in the exchange of fire. The relentless Tommy C. decides to force Jerry's daughter Cleo (Kaela Dobkin) to work off her father's debt, then sets out for the Atlantic City tavern run by Ricco's former coach. And wouldn't you know, Cleo just happens to work there, bartending her way through college. Naturally, Ricco and Cleo fall in love, despite the fact that Joey keeps bleeding and Tommy C.'s driver is speeding from NYC. Who will live and who will die during the Mexican standoff that ensues when Tommy C. arrives? This hybrid heist/fugitive lovers picture has its affecting moments. If the story puts you in mind of a latter-day KEY LARGO, then Serra's Tommy C. is a worthy counterpart to Edward G. Robinson's vicious Johnny Rocco. The problem is the screenplay, which does little with the tale's familiar, fatalistic conventions: From the outset, the audience is forewarned, forearmed and fore-bored. leave a comment --Robert Pardi
Advertisement

Advertisement

Related Websites

You might be also interested in the following websites:

Most Popular TV Shows

  1. Dancing with the Stars
  2. The Game
  3. NCIS
  4. American Idol
  5. Wife Swap
more popular tv shows

Most Popular Celebrities

  1. Tiger Woods
  2. Pamela Bach
  3. Heidi Klum
  4. Jake Gyllenhaal
  5. Reese Witherspoon
more popular celebrities

Most Popular Movies

  1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon
  2. The Blind Side
  3. 2012
  4. Old Dogs
  5. A Christmas Carol
more popular movies

Top Videos

  1. The View
  2. Nip/Tuck
  3. Desperate Housewives
  4. NCIS
  5. V
more top videos