BEFORE: I've got the big list of films to watch (still holding at 230) and I usually don't program exact dates until the start of each month, but about 95% of the list is organized (roughly) by subject or theme. Everything shifts up one position each day, so it can be hard to plan too far ahead. But making some quick calculations today, after I get through this topic, then do spies, then some sci-fi, carry the one... this should lead into superhero films approximately one week before San Diego Comic-Con. Perfect, I love it when the schedule coincides with my life. I'm tempted to go see "Iron Man 3" in theaters now, but if I do, I think I'll treat it like an extra film and just post the review with the other superhero films in July - we're cool with that, right?
Linking from "Miami Blues", Alec Baldwin was also in "Rock of Ages" with Tom Cruise (last seen in "Cocktail") - that film is on my list, just quite a bit farther down. And "Miami Blues" makes me think of "Miami Vice", which was directed by Michael Mann, who also directed "Collateral".
THE PLOT: A cab driver finds himself the hostage of an engaging contract killer as he makes his rounds from hit to hit during one night in LA. He must find a way to save both himself and one last victim.
AFTER: At first this seems like an outrageous premise. Why wouldn't a professional killer have his own car standing by? Why couldn't he rent a car at the airport and drive himself around? Ah, but that would leave a trail, plus maybe he doesn't know his way around L.A., and who knows better than a cabbie? This one's a real pro, and can even tell him how long it's going to take to get to the next stop, so he can plan his whole night.
The question then becomes - if the cabbie drives him around so he can complete his hits, and he's aware of the activity taking place, does he become an accessory to murder? What if he doesn't realize it? But I suppose that's a moot point, because he does, and his morality forces him to take action.
The film also manages to provide a WHY for these killings, that appear to be random at first. So I appreciate the inclusion of the WHY, particularly because films like "Miami Blues" didn't see fit to do so. So we've got motivation, plenty of action, and everything sort of lines up - so why is my rating so low?
Primarily because the film relies on coincidence - a HUGE coincidence, in fact. L.A. is a city of nearly 4 million people, 2nd most populous in the country, and to have a random person from the start of the film play such a key role at the end is hard to swallow. I mean, it's a movie, so you expect this sort of thing - but it's just this kind of thing that pulls me out of the film's reality and makes me aware of Hollywood conventions.
Also starring Jamie Foxx (last seen in "Horrible Bosses"), Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo (last seen in "Zodiac"), Peter Berg, Javier Bardem (last seen in "No Country for Old Men"), Bruce McGill (last seen in "Recount"), with cameos from Debi Mazar, Jason Statham (last heard in "Gnomeo & Juliet").
RATING: 4 out of 10 security guards
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