RARA-AVIS: Phoenix

BaxDeal@aol.com
Thu, 10 Sep 1998 18:21:47 EDT PHOENIX is an electrifying neo-noir, now in limited theatrical release here in
Los Angeles. made independently, producers couldn't find domestic
distribution, so the picture originally debuted on either HBO or Showtime,
similar to the situation with John Dahl's THE LAST SEDUCTION.

Ray Liotta is Phoenix homicide cop Harry Collins, a decent guy with a major
gambling jones. in hock to his bookie to the tune of 32 large, he's told he
can get off the hook if he bumps off this punk in the lock-up, who the bookie
fears will squeal on his operations. unable to perform this unsavory task,
Collins instead decides to knockover the local loanshark, who one of his
associates happens to provide muscle for. things take a darkly comic turn
before going bad for all involved.

very hardboiled. very noir. and so much better than most of the pablum that
passes for "noirish" thrillers these days by people who know nothing about the
genre.

Anthony LaPaglia is the thuggish cop who muscles for the loanshark. Daniel
Baldwin plays another one of the detectives involved in the caper. Tom
Noonan, who terrifyingly essayed the Red Dragon in Michael Mann's underrated
MANHUNTER is Liotta's bookie. Angelica Huston is a hard-bitten dame Liotta's
Collins takes a shine too, but alas, things are not to be in this bleak world
of theirs. just the way we like it.

any Rara-Avians who get the opportunity to see this flick will be most
grateful to me for recommending it.

BD/jl
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