A single word comes to mind, silly! What if I just landed here from another planet and saw this as a documentary. A hired merciless killer & a kidnapper has a sensitive loving soul? A driver doesn t like the word naugahyde so he tries to wreck the car? A couple in love can only relate by having screaming fights with each other? Hmmmm. That just might be the American way; a contentious beginning and a predictably bad end. In any event, the story is comical primarily because it's so outrageous. But it is also violent and the violence is gratuitous and oft times silly.

Trying to think positively, I liked the dog that followed Pitt around; the aerial scenes of the Mexican landscape were good; James Gandolfini did an interesting character although it seemed a type cast and I thought the three versions of the Mexican legend were a clever cut in. I was also rewarded to see some consequence to air shots. Take note Afghanis, Iraqians and Iranians. All those bullets shot into the air return to earth near muzzle velocity!

The names in this were Brad Pitt playing the kid-ish and foolish Jerry, Julia Roberts as the neurotic Samantha and a cameo appearance at the end by Gene Hackman. I already mentioned Gandolfini (fresh from the Sopranos). The film might have been interesting if there were any chemistry between Pitt and Roberts, but there wasn't.

My excuse: our video store has a freebie once a week, so I picked up this movie that I never intended to watch. My recommendation: don't bother. Watch the news instead.

2003-01-22