Boiling Point

A slow-burning study of a Treasury agent and a con-artist separated by the law but united by their need for love. Fresh out of jail, doper con-man Red Diamond (Hopper) teams up with psychotic sidekick Ronnie (Mortensen) to raise the $50,000 he owes a Mafia boss. But the 'buyer' Ronnie kills during a funny-money transaction is the partner of Treasury agent Jimmy Mercer (Snipes), who swears revenge. From then on, Red and Jimmy's lives run in parallel, the two men passing and repassing each other until their paths finally cross. Director Harris's strength is his ability to flesh out routine crime scenarios with credibly motivated characters, adding emotional depth and texture to familiar generic pleasures. That said, Snipes never quite finds the measure of his role; so, despite Hopper's unusually funny and warm performance, the final impression is tepid.