April '06 Movie Review—Lucky Number Slevin

Lucky Number Slevin

Wrong Time. Wrong Place. Wrong Number.
Production Companies: Film Engine, Lucky Number Slevin Productions, Inc., Ascendant Pictures, Capitol Films, VIP 4 Medienfonds
Distributors: MGM, The Weinstein Company.

Director: Paul McGuigan
Writer: Jason Smilovic
Executive producers: Don Carmody, A.J. Dix, Eli Klein, Andreas Schmidt, William Shively, Christopher Eberts
Producers: Andreas Grosch, Kia Jam, Robert Kravis, Tyler Mitchell, Anthony Rhulen, Chris Roberts

Slevin — Josh Hartnett
Brikowski — Stanley Tucci
The Rabbi — Sir Ben Kingsley
Mr. Goodkat — Bruce Willis
The Boss — Morgan Freeman
Lindsey — Lucy Liu
Marty — Kevin Chamberlin
Henry — Oliver Davis
Helen — Victoria Fodor
Nick — Sam Jaeger
Elvis — Dorian Missick
The guy — Sebastien Roberts
Yitzchok — Michael Rubenfeld
Saul — Corey Stoll
Soldier — Rick Bramucci
NYPD Police Officer — John Ghaly
Blondie — Janet Lane
Hottie — Shira Leigh
Featured — Matthew G. Taylor

Rating: R (for language, nudity, violence). Running time: 109 MIN.

Column Rating: I did. So you can, too. Be warned, the violence mentioned in the MPAA rating is quite understated.
With Your Children? No

UNLUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN is more like an unlucky number, actually. However, it works as a story. Good storytelling satisfies the audience thoroughly, if certain concepts and rules are observed. Established long ago by the likes of Shakespeare, Chaucer and the iconic Greek tragic/comedic formulas, these 'givens' comprise the basic framework of popular myths, plays, books and movies. The story is believed to have fulfilled these requirements in movies, when certain things are present: approximately two hours in length, a prologue, three acts and an unexpected ending (especially valued). The pact between entertainers and audience operates well on that simple of an understanding. Slevin fulfills that expectation with a strong script, great acting, good dialogue and a roller coaster of a thriller, with a twist—in this case, many twists. The locations in Montrèal, Quèbec and our own New York, New York provided lots of stunning architecture. Striking set designs and costuming matched well. Also, the Big Apple is the quintessential place to depict scary people doing scary things. As such, Slevin will make its box office goals.

A story like this one, with a twist ending, is a tough story to review, when giving away the story would make you mad. It would me. A few little hints, though. Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Stanley Tucci and Bruce Willis turn in the veteran performances we have all come to expect from them. Josh Hartnett, fast maturing into a fine young actor, delivered a solid, believable Slevin. Casual, winning, wholesome, humorous, seductive. He was the perfect foil for the male cast. Gentleman bad guys, one and all.

Our token female was captivating Lucy Liu, as the surprise scene-stealer, an irresistible girl-next-door who breezed into Slevin's life to borrow a cup of sugar. Liu larked through all of her scenes as the be-freckled wanna-be sleuth, Lindsay. More suited to our world, Lindsay allowed a sense of normalcy to distract, as we dealt with the rough and tumble characters populating Slevin's new world. Of note was Oliver Davis, engagingly portraying a young boy who found himself kidnapped, after his father had gone into the racetrack to make the bet of his life. Dorian Missick is also one to mention for his role as the Boss' gentleman tough. More hints?

I've said it before…the opening credits for a film set a tone. While Slevin's credits began, the lights are down and the promise of a new story waits on the other side of the credits. Or not. Have you seen Friday night TV's 'Numb3rs'? It has nifty, relevant credits giving clues about the upcoming mystery including numbers spinning like a slot machine. For me, seeing a technique from the big screen, as homage on the little screen makes a good insider tidbit. Not the other way around, though. Slevin begins with a disappointing, bland screen filling with spinning numbers into letters, alá 'Numb3rs'—not a good sign. Musing about possible budget constraints, I didn't expect the action to start under the skimpy credits.

Worse, a guy with a briefcase, sauntered to his car in a parking garage—and blam—he's dead. Made everyone jump. A couple more credits and one, two, three—dead. A few more credits and, yes, blam, another dead dude.

Credits did give hints, cheap or elegant, by themselves or over the beginning of the movie. That much 'gore' while the credits 'spun,' insinuated Slevin's next few frames, would be telling. Subsequent scenes most likely would include someone's blood splashing about? If you were thinking that just now, you're right. As the credits

disappeared, a theme (other than spattered blood) emerged: betting, bookies, busting kneecaps and graphic violence dominated this story. A few more minutes watching a young father bet on a 'sure thing' at the racetrack, dread builds of—yup, a torture scene—and on it went.

This spring is the time of attempts to achieve what another great storyteller, Hitchcock, did naturally. The tension, the twist, the Tums afterward. Basic Instinct 2 gave it a go, as did Woody Allen's Matchpoint. Allen's attempt wasn't all that bad. No real yucky parts, just apprehension. Slevin is the crushingly sadistic third up. None of them approach the mystery and elegance of a Hitchcock thriller.

Familiar theme or no, the script is tight. It keeps most guessing as it wove all seemingly random people and events into an intensely complex ending. Just an aside: the nude scene, in retrospect, serves no purpose in 'driving the story' as they say. To me it was utterly gratuitous. Other than that needless scene, Slevin delivers its drama and thrills, drenched in blood, but hey, some people like that.

If I say more, you'll be mad at me. Let me know what you thought of the movie!

Photos copyright Film Engine, Lucky Number Slevin Productions, Inc., Ascendant Pictures, Capitol Films, VIP 4 Medienfonds.