Well folks, Harry here.... It's getting closer to release on this film. And Artisan's television trailers really quite honestly look like shit to my eyes. And I mean that. I can not stress enough how crappy these trailers make this film look... BUT... I'm TELLING YOU!!! YES YOU!!!! These trailers are the same crappy trailers we saw for L.A.CONFIDENTIAL.... remember? You thought that film looked like ass from the trailers. Do not believe the trailers. Some knob that listened to a bunch of damn numbers from some fucking research group told them that they should stick funny moments to rock music and lame gun moments... they are trying to make it 'hip and cool' instead of "BADASS!!!" which is what this film is... Here's Tom Joad....

THE WAY OF THE GUN

Sam Fuller believed that a movie done correctly should give you an erection within the first five minutes. Writer/director Christopher McQuarrie¹s THE WAY OF THE GUN is more like instant viagra.

In the opening scene, we¹re introduced to Longbaugh and Parker (Benicio Del Toro & Ryan Phillippe). Two cons who live life by their rules - actually, they conform the world to go by THEIR rules. The beauty of these two characters, is they operate as one. They¹ve been together so long that they¹ve honed their actions into art. Each one knows what the other is thinking, each knows the others next step and it makes for some extremely well choreographed scenes... and the shootouts? Forget about it. They will blow your mind.

Don¹t expect the pretty, artful stagings of old John Woo or Ringo Lam - this is raw. This is visceral - when bullets tear through flesh, you will wince. When forearms are sliced to ribbons, you will look away. Too short is the list of current films that wear their audacity on their sleeves, that take no prisoners, that leave no viewer unaffected. The Way of the Gun charges forward with reckless abandon - completely disregarding both formula and cliche.

When Longbaugh and Parker get wind of a surrogate mother (Juliette Lewis) worth a million dollars, they hatch a kidnapping plan without even having to make eye contact. Benicio is epitome of calm, cool and collected as he glides through this role with a suave charisma and a sense of humor that makes the character his own. He has some terribly funny moments - his mannerisms, his thought processes... this is a great character. But he¹s only half the duo. Ryan Phillipe - in the best role I¹ve seen him in to date - plays the darker and more serious Mr. Parker to a T. Always in the right place at the right time - he provides the second half to the whole.

Juliette Lewis is shockingly good. I¹ve always been a fan - but she can be hit and miss. But when she¹s got the right director who knows what she¹s capable of? Watch out. Juliette plays Robin, surrogate mother to an incredibly wealthy couple, who has begun to have some thoughts of her own. She¹s nearly nine months pregnant when she becomes the fulcrum of a fifteen million dollar scam - and you believe every pained, uncomfortable and labored moment. Robin has two twenty-four hour bodyguards in Taye Diggs and Nicky Katt. Assigned to her against her will, these two very cold, very systematic gentlemen provide some really cool conflict when they begin to butt heads with Longbaugh and Parker. McQuarrie has dozens of balls in the air with this film, and he makes it look EASY.

The way in which McQuarrie layers his scenes, his plots, his tension, building and building until all hell breaks loose - is done effortlessly. We are always in the action and we always know where everyone is. No cutting from random shooter to random shooter, not since THREE KINGS have I seen gunplay choreographed in such a precise, logical and energized manner.

The subplots are numerous as they criss and cross each other¹s paths - interweaving the lives of the various characters to one another in such a supremely graceful way that you never feel overwhelmed and you¹re never thrown a character with a question mark over their head. They¹ve all got a story and McQuarrie makes sure you¹re in the know.

You know, Chris spoke after the film about how he was unable to get another, more personal project of his off the ground after the success of The Usual Suspects, due to it¹s lack of guns and violence. Without talking too much about it, save that it didn¹t fall in the crime genre, Chris apparently went so far as to offer to take no pay if the suits would just let him make the movie he wanted to make. Nope - they wanted a crime film. Can you imagine the frustration involved here? You¹re a screenwriter, natch - an ACADEMY AWARD WINNING screenwriter - and people have no faith. Stirred, he set out to make the crime film that he hoped would keep anyone from wanting him to make another. Chris plowed through the script for TWOTG in no time and made me an complete and absolute believer in any project he has his thumb in. If he can make a film this good that his heart isn¹t in, imagine what he could do with a blank, crimeless canvas. Hopefully the suits will open their eyes and realize what a talent they have in McQuarrie. Hopefully they will trust in him. Hopefully they will allow him make the movies he wants to make - because I will be the first in line.

Until next time-

Tom Joad