Another film I had an urge to watch again recently, and one I’ve wanted to do a post on for ages is:
Things to do in Denver when You’re Dead (1995)
If you haven’t seen it, it’s a crime/drama/thriller starring Andy Garcia (Ocean’s Eleven), Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Steve Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs) and Fairuza Balk (The Craft) among many others.
This is what it’s about:
Ex-crook Jimmy "The Saint" Tosnia (Garcia) is trying his best to go straight until he's dragged back into the world of crime for one last, seemingly simple job. All Jimmy and his eccentric cronies have to do is intimidate their target. However, when things go bad resulting in the death of a woman connected to a powerful gangster (Walken), Mr. Shhh (Buscemi), a notorious assassin who never slips up, is sent to take down Jimmy and his crew.
This is another film I used to watch a lot in my teens and I’ve got to say, having not watched it for going on 20 years it was a real treat discovering it again!
I think this was one of the first movies I ever saw Christopher Walken in (Batman Returns was the first) and as you’d expect, he’s brilliant as the paraplegic crime boss who pulls Andy Garcia and his friends back into the underworld.
This is one of those movies that focuses on story and characters rather than action, and as a result it’s a really compelling watch!
Treat Williams who plays the slightly unhinged “Critical Bill” is a standout character as is Christopher Lloyd as “Pieces”.
My favourite scene in the movie is where Jimmy “The Saint” goes to see Pieces to try to talk him into getting out of town and finds him dressed up in a suit and ready to accept whatever’s coming to him. It’s a great scene and quite moving because of the excellent dialogue and the performances from the two actors.
This movie sadly seems to have been forgotten about over the years and it’s a real shame because it’s gem!
If you like a gritty “good guy stands up to bad guys” type of film with well written characters and a good story, I highly recommend you check this one out.
I rented it for £3:49 on Amazon Prime.
Seen it? Let me know below.