Thu 16 Oct 2014
A Movie Review by Dan Stumpf: THINGS TO DO IN DENVER WHEN YOU’RE DEAD (1995).
Posted by Steve under Crime Films , Reviews[8] Comments
THINGS TO DO IN DENVER WHEN YOU’RE DEAD. Miramax Films, 1995. Andy Garcia, Christopher Lloyd, William Forsythe, Bill Nunn, Treat Williams, Jack Warden, Steve Buscemi, Fairuza Balk, Gabrielle Anwar, Christopher Walken. Director: Gary Fleder.
Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead is a good film, perhaps very good, if a bit too firmly mired in its own neo-noir ambiance. Andy Garcia plays a character on the fringe of the underworld pressured by mob boss James Woods into settling his debts by beating up a romantic rival of Woods’ younger brother.
Andy recruits a team of other needy-seedy types to help out, including Treat Williams and Christopher Lloyd, and when the plan goes spectacularly awry, he’s given 48 hours to get out of town… while his henchmen get Steve Buscemi as the deliveryman for slow, painful death.
Motivated by quirky loyalty, Garcia decides to spend his last 48 hours trying to save the inept buddies who screwed things up in the first place, bringing on a nice, pre-doomed search for some meaning in one’s own death: a perfect noir conundrum.
Most reviewers found this too clever by half, but I thought it very deeply-felt, well-played and intelligent. Someone told Andy Garcia to “do Cary Grant,” and he makes a nice job of it. Even better is Treat Williams, whose brilliant, portrayal of a sub-normal Strong-arm should be held up as a textbook model to show every actor how to lose himself in a part, a powerful bit of acting which should have won him an Oscar.
Of course, some elements of his character may be in questionable taste, but it’s still a dandy performance in a film good enough that I wish they hadn’t felt it necessary to underline Garcia’s dilemma by having someone watch DOA in the background.
October 17th, 2014 at 10:24 am
The title — Things To Do In Denver When You Are Dead is memorably alliterative — but the film is unpleasant, disjointed and as played by Andy Garcia, especially, without even a hit of empathy. A far more appropriate title, I believe, “Things To Do In Denver If you Are An Imbecile.”
October 17th, 2014 at 11:59 am
On the basis of Dan’s review, I bought a copy of this film on DVD. After reading your opinion of the film, Barry, I’m glad I didn’t pay more than $2.50 for it (not including postage).
October 17th, 2014 at 12:03 pm
So obviously I haven’t seen the film yet, but Dan, your reference to neo-noir films being mired in their their own ambiance, I know exactly what you mean. “Real” noir films were made before they knew they were making noir films. Now that directors know they’re making noir films, they often seem — what’s the right word? — self-conscious about it, and the results are hit or miss as to how well they succeed. Or so it seems to me.
October 17th, 2014 at 5:30 pm
Steve, Barry
I agree with both of you on this and noir. This one is too self aware and self important for me. It never seems to know where it is going, and frankly rather than a great performance I wondered if this one is what killed Treat Williams career
One thing not to do in Denver if you are alive is go see this movie.
This is the type neo noir made by people who watched the movies but didn’t understand the things that made them noir went deeper than the superficial.
October 17th, 2014 at 5:57 pm
I’ll wait for fashion to catch up with me.
October 17th, 2014 at 6:11 pm
I will watch Gabrielle Anwar in anything.
October 18th, 2014 at 11:34 am
Once again, it seems that Dan has written a review that is better than the film he is reviewing. Saves some of us a lot of time.
October 18th, 2014 at 4:22 pm
Dan
There are some films and books I like where I have been waiting thirty years for fashion to catch up with me and it still hasn’t.
Your view may be a minority here but it is just as legitimate as any of ours and, as always, well argued.