Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pagePersons Unknown (1996)
Director: George Hickenlooper
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Jim Holland (Mantegna), an ex-cop nursing an ailing Long Beach security business, knocks the beautiful Amanda (Lynch) off her feet, but has no idea what he's getting into. He wakes to find she's made herself at home in his filing cabinet. Next time they meet, Amanda's ripped off a sackful of drugs money, and he's stolen it right back. By now he's more interested in her sister Molly (Watts). There's something about a woman in a wheelchair. The breezy set-up promises a thriller in the Elmore Leonard vein: snappy dialogue, strong sense of place, quirky character detail. It's a shame that an hour in, just as everything's shaping up nicely, Hickenlooper's film regroups, resettles and rethinks. In essence, this consists of throwing away the plot and getting to know Jim, Amanda and Molly a whole lot better as they hole up in the High Sierras. Worse, the longer we spend in their company, the less interesting they seem, but at least JT Walsh is on hand with his trademark brand of shameless opportunism.Author: TCh
Cast & crew
Director: George Hickenlooper
Producer: David Lancaster
Cast: Joe Mantegna, Kelly Lynch, Naomi Watts, JT Walsh, Xander Berkeley, Jon Favreau full cast
Duration: 99 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now