Lucky Number Slevin – DVD Review

Film, Reviews

DVD available at Amazon.com

Director:

Paul McGuigan

Cast:

Josh Hartnett”¦”¦”¦.Slevin
Morgan Freeman”¦”¦”¦.The Boss
Ben Kingsley”¦”¦”¦.The Rabbi
Bruce Willis”¦”¦”¦.Mr. Goodkat
Lucy Liu”¦”¦”¦.Lindsey
Stanley Tucci”¦”¦”¦.Det. Brikowski
Michael Rubenfeld”¦”¦”¦Yitzchok ‘the Fairy’
Dorian Missick”¦”¦”¦.Elvis
Mykelti Williamson”¦”¦”¦.Sloe

The Weinstein Company presents Lucky Number Slevin. Written by Jason Smilovic. Running time: 109 minutes. Rated R (for strong violence, sexuality and language). DVD release date: September 12, 2006. MSRP: $29.95.


The Movie

Lucky Number Slevin is a small-scale crime thriller with wayward characters and A-list talent. The hero is not some gumshoe or private detective, but rather a guy who gets caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Inside this convoluted, yet clever story by Jason Smilovic (TV’s Karen Sisco) nothing is as it seems. Double-crosses, sly, rapid-fire dialogue, and a triple-cross for good measure, drive the story at a dizzying speed.

The movie opens on a man talking to a stranger in an offshoot airport lounge with blue bucket seats. The story the stranger tells involves a fixed horse race at the Aqueduct Racetrack in New York, back in 1979. To understand the tale one needs to know what the Kansas City Shuffle is. It’s not a dance, but it does require a doubles partner. (Only the partner is a corpse.) Color the man skeptical when the stranger mentions body. It’s not exactly the thing you want to hear from a complete stranger in an empty lounge.

Now cut to Josh Hartnett, starring as Slevin, a hapless schmuck who’s in town to visit his friend Nick Fisher. His arrival to the Big Apple is not greeted with warm reception. More like a punch to the face. Wallet stolen, he arrives at his friend’s apartment only to find it empty. His attempt to make himself at home is short lived, as two goons drop in. They usher Slevin, who they think is Nick Fisher, out of the apartment — with only a faded purple towel wrapped around his waist — and take him to see The Boss.

The Boss is a garrulous gangster, played with great style by Morgan Freeman. Glib repartee ensues between the two, until The Boss tells the pasty-skinned Fisher, so he believes, that he owes a great deal of money. But he gives the kid an out; the debt will be scratched from the books if Slevin kills the son of The Boss’s chief rival, a kingpin known as The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley). Soon, Slevin finds himself wrapped up in another situation where he is hauled in by another set of goons before The Rabbi, who is more gangster than Gandhi. The Rabbi gives Slevin a similar deal, as an alternative to collecting on a debt.

After each encounter that mysterious stranger from the beginning resurfaces. Played by Bruce Willis, his name is Mr. Goodkat, and he’s a gun for hire. What’s amusing is that The Boss has hired him to kill The Rabbi’s son, but Goodkat convinces him to pawn the job off on Slevin. Out of all the characters made mentioned so far Goodkat is the only one that knows Slevin is not Nick Fisher.

Entangled in a festering gang war, Slevin finds himself between a rock and a hard place. More appropriate, two kingpins and a contract killer. Also playing a role is Nick Fishe’s nosy neighbor Lindsey (Lucy Liu), the girl with a deceptively high knock, who just happens to see Slevin sans towel. She starts her own investigation into Nick’s disappearance by following the sleuthing tips she picked up while watching Columbo. Then there’s a detective (Stanley Tucci) prowling around, ready to break a case. Break anything really.

All these characters converge in this sharp mystery of mistaken identity. Josh Hartnett, having been uninspiring in films like Pearl Harbor and 40 Days and 40 Nights, delivers a breakout performance as Slevin. His quirkiness and silver tongue gets him into trouble, yet he’s able to stand with the likes of Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley and not seem intimidated. Lucy Liu is a delight as the girl next door, a coroner/amateur sleuth who will probably see some of Slevin’s handiwork in the not to distant future. Both Liu and Hartnett have great chemistry together. Willis, Tucci and the rival bosses are terrific in their roles, how ever small they may be.

Screenwriter Jason Smilovic seems to be inspired by the works of Elmore Leonard. Maybe not the actual story, but the names and characterizations of the players. Whereas Leonard has heroes like bail bondsman Max Cherry or loan shark-turned-movie producer Chili Palmer, Smilovic gives descriptions in place of names. Well, for The Boss and The Rabbi (and his son The Fairy) at least.

Forgive the title’s bad play on words and appreciate Lucky Number Slevin as a stylish thriller. With a dash of humor sprinkled throughout and a few bullets between enemies, Paul McGuigan’s film may not be as good as the Nineties resurgence of crime cinema — Reservoir Dogs and The Usual Suspects, and the like — but its odd production design and flashy edits help build to a wicked climax that will take your breath away.


The DVD

THE VIDEO
(Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen)

Peter Sova’s kinetic photography helps to offset the gritty nature of this crime thriller. Sharpness and detail are top-notch, as the cinematography helps to accentuate the odd production design. This is especially true with Nick Fishe’s apartment. The trim around the door is black and the walls have a floral pattern in light blue, violet and eggshell colors. No flaws with the print itself, but the DVD suffers from minimal edge enhancement and artifacting issues. Nothing to be concerned with.

THE AUDIO
(English 5.1 and French 5.1 Dolby Digital)

This DVD comes equipped with two separate audio tracks that help to amplify the visuals on screen. A hail of bullets, punches and broken noses is an immersing experience when combined with witty dialogue. Even the score by J. (Josh) Ralph is part whimsical, other times dark and mysterious. As far as set up options go, the movie have optional English and Spanish subtitles.

SPECIAL FEATURES

For advertisements that claim that Lucky Number Slevin has over two hours of bonus materials, the viewer may feel a bit cheated. That is because the longest extras are the two commentary tracks that play over the feature film. The first is director McGuigan going solo. His thick Scottish accent maybe rough for untrained ears, but the director has a nuts-and-bolts delivery as he points out aspects about the movie you may not have caught the first time through.

The second track is a group effort with Josh Hartnett, Lucy Liu and Jason Smilovic. It’s a lively commentary despite being recorded separately (Hartnett and Liu are together, and Smilovic’s comments are edited in). Interesting to note is that McGuigan enjoyed the script except for the fact that all the characters spoke the same. Since Smilovic is big on film noir, he wrote how he wanted his characters to speak. Though, the result is nothing compared to Rian Johnson’s Brick.

The 13-minute Making Lucky Number Slevin featurette is a fluff extra with quick sound bites interlaced with clips from the film. But it isn’t without its moments. Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman were the last to sign. Willis, being a fan of Paul McGuigan’s Gangster No. 1, was much obliged to work in Slevin as Mr. Goodkat. But the best moment of the featurette, and a quick one at that, is Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman kidding around on the set. Willis foolishly asks Freeman if 25 years ago I should have just found another profession. The answer unequivocally: “Yes.”

Also included are three deleted scenes, playable separately or together, as well as an alternate ending, and the film’s theatrical trailer. Two of the deletions and the alternate conclusion feature optional commentary from director Paul McGuigan. Played together all scenes are a collective 20 minutes in length.

THE INSIDE PULSE

Joining the likes of Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and The Matador, Lucky Number Slevin is the latest in the resurgence of crime thrillers. Not just crime thrillers but funny slices of noir. Josh Hartnett gives a breakthrough performance as Slevin. Lucy Liu gives her best acting performance to date. Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley are more than window dressing. They are the antagonists in this tale of mistaken identity gone badly. The DVD, while boasting fine audio/video quality and some good extras, is definitely worth a rental. But if you are a fan of the genre, by all means: buy.

The DVD Lounge’s Ratings for Lucky Number Slevin
CATEGORY
RATING
(OUT OF 10)
THE MOVIE

8
THE VIDEO

8
THE AUDIO

8
THE EXTRAS

6
REPLAY VALUE

8
OVERALL
8
(NOT AN AVERAGE)

Travis Leamons is one of the Inside Pulse Originals and currently holds the position of Managing Editor at Inside Pulse Movies. He's told that the position is his until he's dead or if "The Boss" can find somebody better. I expect the best and I give the best. Here's the beer. Here's the entertainment. Now have fun. That's an order!