vandalz I saw this movie for the first time on cable, with absolutely no expectations going in, as I had not even heard of it before watching it the first time. One of Harold Ramis' better efforts as a director, with understated performances by Billy Bob Thornton, John Cusack, and Connie Nielsen, all working off a script by Oscar winner Robert Benton and Emmy nominee Richard Russo. John Cusack stars as Charlie Arglist, a morally compromised lawyer who has joined with strip club owner Vic Cavenaugh (Billy Bob Thornton) to steal 2 million dollars from a local mob boss, and black comedy hilarity ensues. Connie Nielsen is ice-cold Renata, and Oliver Platt adds much needed comic relief as Charlie's hapless sidekick, the current husband of Charlie's ex wife. The shady lawyer, icy-cold love interest, and the mob-boss antagonist are all tired tropes, but somehow, the characters work in spite of that. Carpentersvillle, Illinois stands in for Wichita, on Christmas eve, and the frozen scenery is palpably cold. It's not a 10/10 outing, but it's far smarter than many others, and if you like dark humor and noir thrillers, this one has much going for it. Solit 7.5 out of ten, I'll round up to eight stars because I was pleasantly surprised. On a side note, Charlie says at one point "As Wichita falls, so falls Wichita Falls", which is a misquote of a 1980s Pat Metheny album "As falls Wichita, ,so falls Wichita Falls"

Spacenaz This movie is pretty funny, as I have always been a fan of the main actors in this movie (Billy Bob Thornton, John Cusack and Oliver Platt). It also features the beautiful Connie Nielson. This is a crime dramedy, about a plan to steal 2 million dollars. It is a good adult comedy that has a fairly interesting story. I also really enjoy Harold Ramis's comedies, writing or directing, Groundhog Day and Bedazzled are 2 of my favorite romantic comedies, and Caddyshack, Stripes, and Ghostbusters are just classic. I had fun as the dialogue is great and I always enjoy Cusack's brand of humor. One amusing line from Thornton was "Your dead, don't just stand there pretending you're not".It is a fairly dark comedy, that is more of a dramedy. It leans on the Christmas theme throughout, but not too much. It is set on Christmas eve after all. Oliver Platt is funny as the drunk buddy, and Billy Bob is always good when he is getting jerky and angry. There are underlying themes of trust and infidelity that run through the movie as well. There is a few good twists that will keep you interested. A brief movie at just over 80 minutes before the end credits roll, you should have no problem getting through this dark story. Overall a funny Cusack vehicle that will appeal more to fans of his than not. I have always enjoyed him and this stands as one of his better 00's offerings, though there were better. Call me crazy, but my preferred Cusack Christmas movie is Serendipity.

blanche-2 I understand this was not a well-marketed film - I don't remember when it came out. Apparently it was marketed as a comedy, which it isn't. It's a noir with some very funny moments. Most of the end of the film is darn serious.I love John Cusack, and here, he plays a Wichita mob lawyer named Charlie Arglist. But don't get him mixed up with one of those slick mob lawyers, he's one of those who just does what he's told by some powerful men.He and a friend, Vic (Billy Bob Thornton) steal 2-1/2 million dollars from Charlie's boss, one Bill Guerrard (Randy Quaid). It's Christmas Eve, and the men have decided that instead of seeming guilty and blowing town, they are going to stay until the early morning, and then take off for Kansas City's airport.Vic is storing the money, and he's cool and collected; Charlie is a mess. He wants to leave town with the beautiful sex bomb Renata (Connie Nielsen) who owns a strip club in town.It's a lousy night of rain and ice, and the ever-nervous Charlie winds up taking a drunken friend, Pete (Oliver Platt) home, and he keeps running into the police for one reason or another. It's not helping his nerves.Then Charlie finds himself in a bad situation when he realizes that he doesn't know whom to trust, requiring him to make some big -- and quick -- decisions.Parts of this film, as I said, are quite funny, including Oliver Platt throwing up in Charlie's car, and Charlie complaining that he had the whole outdoors to throw up in -- why throw up in his car? When he takes Pete home, he comes face to face with his ex-wife (whom Pete is married to), resentful children, and ex-in-laws. Directed by Harold Ramis, this movie is reminiscent of the Coen Brothers, maybe Fargo, with a schmo in the middle of something big, and its humor, with the action taking place during a bleak, dark winter night.John Cusack makes the film for me - he is understated, a nice guy into something he's having trouble handling. We really feel for him. Billy Bob Thornton hands in another wonderful performance as the no-nonsense Vic, used to being a sleaze, and Connie Nielsen embodies the noir woman, hearkening back to the '40s with her wavy hair and sultry voice.This is probably an undeservedly underrated film, which is a shame. "You're the nicest man I know," someone tells Charlie. "I'm sorry to hear you say that," Charlie says, "but thank you." Highly recommended.

OJT A different Christmas Eve in Kansas. We meet a shady big shot lawyer, Charlie Arglist, which just have committed a crime together with a companion. In some hours, they are to leave after stealing two million dollars. But it's a slippery evening in Wichita, and Charlie's way if killing the hours are likely to be trouble...This film, made from a book by Scott Phillips, resembles other wintery black comedies like "Fargo", "The big white", "In Bruges", "Fuck up", "Thin ice" and "A simple plan", but falls shirt on one level, the humor. The plot is good, and the storytelling is entertaining, but it's not as funny and intriguing, or even charming as the others. The best part is in the middle of the film. Still it deserves a 7 in my hook, as I enjoy black comedies.Good acting, and good cast, and even a good director in Harold Ramis ("Analyse this", "Analyze that", "Groundhog Day", "National Lampoon's Vacation") should have made this work big time. When it didn't, it's due to a script not made with enough humor, to take it out of the mediocre.The DVD comes with two alternative endings, which both would give the film the right ending punch. They were probably left out at a pre screening. That was wrong, as always, and a reason this film falls a bit short. Ramis actually made a short movie with the alternative endings, which actually stands on it's own two legs.A couple if good quotes are even left out in one if the alternative endings: "You see; this is the whole problem with people: If you are what you do, and you never do anything, then what the fu@@ are you?".