inframan What's with the ratings system on IMDb? You look at the vote tally & it's 6.6 median & 7+ average but they mark it 5.4 on the movie site. What = only a few key players votes count?? Anyway this movie blows anything done by Hollywood (or "indie") hacks in about 30 or 40 years. Outsmarts Mamet at his guessing games. Outpaces Soderbergh at his capering best. Outstyles the Coens by a couple galaxies. And hey, the sets don't have that cookie cutter Metropolitan Home look the Hollywood & indie flicks all subscribe to.The plot is wonderful, the acting by everyone is phenomenal. This movie will keep you guessing (& catching you breath) right up to & including the last frame.Simply terrific! 10 for 10

Craig Whyel I didn't get it and I paid real close attention.I think they were going for more of a feel than an actual outcomes based production vis a vis a storyline that one can grasp.The intentional distortion of the time era via props and costuming further served to undo the film.Kevin Pollack is totally and completely wasted. His alternating between glibness and melodrama took things down even further as did the chronic overcast skies of Winnipeg. He even looked, very briefly, like Groucho Marx in You Bet Your Life.It's not worth the time, and I say that feeling badly because I sensed that they were really shooting for something specially and came up way short.

stupid_pebble This is the story of Harlan, an aging small-time grifter, a relic of a bygone age who dreams of making it big. He is encouraged by his partner Fiona, who is young beautiful and treacherous, a classic femme fatale. The story could be taking place anywhere or at anytime, there are no geographical or temporal references. It's as if these cheap crooks exist in their own decrepit universe. The tale has more double-crosses and twists than I could keep track of. However it never looses you and keeps you engrossed until the end. What's best about this film is the acting from a fine ensemble cast and the wonderful black comedy that lies behind the story. Go see it - you won't be disappointed.

Bill Film noir Canadian style shot on a shoestring budget. Kevin Pollak in a rare lead role. Some interesting twists and turns. Lies and deception. Happy ending. It is refreshing to have the film set at Christmas, and creates opportunities for delightful contrasts with low-lifes and Christmas music.I love the genre and I liked the movie. Not great by any means. But it moved along nicely and had enough subtleties and nuances that it felt fresh and not simply derivative. Oh, and Liane Balaban is fetching without working too hard at it.