Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead
Gangster movies seem to be a dime a dozen in Hollywood. And many of them have the same plot. In fact, I remember seeing this exact same plot in another gangster movie, but it was a terrific film instead of just a good one. That movie was The Usual Suspects. What made that movie so much better than this one? Everything. The movie had so many plot twists that you probably could never guess the ending. Plus, Kevin Spacey was magnificent as Verbal Kint.
That's what is similar between Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead and The Usual Suspects. The performances are very good, especially by Andy Garcia. But that's all I found interesting about the movie. But those performances were good enough to give the movie a good review. Unfortunately, the plot is cliched and routine. There were a few plot twists, but none that I didn't expect.
The movie is about Jimmy the Saint (Andy Garcia), a former gangster who has now turned right and started a clean business ("Afterlife Advice"). However, one day, a big crimeboss (Christopher Walken) hires Jimmy to do one last job. Jimmy agrees and goes out to find four other guys to help. After he convinces everyone to do the job, they get setup for it. This is pretty interesting up to here, but then it just turns into a cliched mobster movie.
Of course, something goes wrong and two people end up dead. Now, the crimeboss wants the crew dead. He hires a hitman to go out and kill all five of the members. This hitman is like Superman. He can kill with one swipe of his hand. The ending of the movie surprised me, but I predicted the entire movie up until the ending. The ending was the only twist that interested me. The movie is shocking, with graphic scenes of violence and language, but it never surprised me enough for me to like it. I don't know when it was made because the movie never came out in my city and there is no year on the video, but since The Usual Suspects has come out, gangster movies' expectations have been raised, and this one just doesn't reach them.
As for the only redeeming value of the movie, the cast is top-notch. Andy Garcia is terrific as Jimmy the Saint. He looks like a gangster and is cast well. Christopher Walken is scary as the crimeboss. Christopher Lloyd and Gabrielle Anwar are very good in supporting roles. But Fairuza Balk and Treat Williams stole the show from the rest of the supporting cast. But other than this top notch cast, this movie is rather average.
Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead is rated R. There is plenty of graphic violence and gore, especially when someone's brain is being blown out. There is also some sex and nudity from a porno-flick theater. The language is shocking and very vulgar. But if you're looking for an entertaining flick, and The Usual Suspects is checked out, you might want to check this one out.