I'm reminded of a line from "No Country For Old Men" - "Well this is just a deal gone wrong, isn't it?"In reading other viewer comments I'm struck by the number of reviews that mention "Pulp Fiction" as a model for this picture. For me, the idea never occurred because it's structure is notably different. The movie I'd offer as similar in style would be the prior year's "Run Lola Run", in fact if I didn't know better, I'd say the director here virtually copied the narrative device of starting the story over a couple of times to offer the points of view of it's different characters. In some ways it works here, and in others it doesn't, but on the whole the picture is cleverly written and entertaining in it's presentation.Coming to the movie at this late date, almost twenty years after it was released, I was struck by the appearance of some of the well known players who appeared here. Katie Holmes looked incredibly young, while Timothy Olyphant, a favorite ever since seeing him in such works as "Deadwood" and "Justified", appears more like a gruff teenager than his thirty years at the time of filming. Although the story line left some loose ends, I got a kick out of the convoluted situations the characters wound up in, and wouldn't have minded one more 'restart' to tighten things up.

I got this movie around a year ago... yes it took me some time to watch it(which i did tonight). The reason is simple, i got it as part of my obsession for teen comedies. Yes the kind of Superbad, American Pie, College, Van Wilder and so on. I learn afterword on IMDb that it was actually not a comedy at all, more like a serious movie with a good scenario. I waited for he right occasion and i did tonight.So lets just say people where exactly true on IMDb and the cover arts are really misleading cause despise a few things in the middle, it ain't a comedy at all. I was really surprised when the movie cut back to the beginning after the Ronna's story. I was disappointed cause i was starting to like the story and was eager to know what would happen next to her. But then the Simon story happen and its clearly the most fun of the 3. It does have a bit of a teen comedy feel even tough its much more serious and dark but i wish that part would had last longer.Finally the third part with the actors was really forgivable... boring even to be honest, and its disappointing the movie pretty much end with it, adding only a little story conclusion at the end.So bottom line what can i say... i liked part of this movie, i didn't like others, i am NOT a fan of movies cut into pieces and showing different point of views a la Pulp Fiction, but at least this one was made so the story is unfold in order, unlike Pulp Fiction, which was hard to follow and boring to my own taste.I will say i am glad i finally watched it, had a "good time" but its going to the pawnshop with my next back of DVDs for sale... If i could put 6.5 on 10, i would, but the movie does not qualify to a 7 to me.

This fast-paced, inventive ensemble comedy from '99 has held up very well. In light of later developments, especially on cable, the timeshifting, "Pulp Fiction"-like structure seems less obtrusive and gimmicky than it did back in the day. Each of the interlocking episodes takes off from the same event, which we see several times over—a cash-strapped supermarket clerk takes a shift for a co-worker, who happens to be a retail drug dealer. Consequences, for three different sets of characters, include a shambolic roadtrip to Vegas, a shooting in a strip club with threatened retaliation, an ironic car chase, a BF left with a higher-level dealer as collateral for a drug buy, and a queasy-making dinner party hosted by a pair of narco cops. There's lots of chaos and violence, but it's cartoon violence, basically, and nobody's much the worse for it (triple-shifting Ronna gets hit by a car and left for dead, but she's back at her register on Monday). Every episode includes at least one really good time-release sightgag; to spoil just two—when Taye Diggs, as one of the roadtrippers, puts on a spiffy blazer in a casino, a guy gives him a tip in the men's room; at the casino enrance another guy tosses him the keys to his car… Smart, casual dialogue, not as self-conscious as in "Pulp Fiction"; my favorite line is a throwaway diss of the comic strip "Family Circus." Commendable cast includes Sarah Polley, playing it tough, as Ronna, Katie Holmes (she's good!) as the BF, a baby-faced Timothy Olyphant as the dealer, plus Jay Mohr as a TV actor in jeopardy; great to see a dewy young Jane Krakowski and Melissa McCarthy in lesser roles. Turns up on a cable a lot; available on disk from Netflix.

Three years after directing the cult hit "Swingers" Doug Liman struck gold again with the hip young ensemble comedy "Go". Uniquely structured over the course of one crazy night in the lives of a bunch of young people in the city of angels.The story follows four main characters Ronna (Sarah Polley), a supermarket cashier, who needs $300 to avoid being evicted from her apartment. Simon (Desmond Askew), Ronna's British co-worker who's is going to Las Vegas for the weekend with a few friends. Then there are Adam and Zack (Scott Wolf and Jay Mohr) a couple of gay soap opera actors who are cutting a deal with the police to help then arrest Simon who is friends with Tod (Timothy Olyphant) a local drug dealer.The movie has a very 90s feel to it when watched today. Pagers were still big with teenagers. Raves were still cool and mysterious. This movies is like a time capsule of a time that really doesn't seem too long ago. Remember the good ole days of 1999, at the height of Y2K paranoia, and people still doing the Macarena what a time to be alive. (Yes, I'm being sarcastic if it isn't obvious). Okay so needing money in a hurry Ronna takes Simon's shift so he can go to Vegas. When Adam and Zack look to score some ecstasy from her in a sting operation she agrees. She goes to Tod to buy the stuff hoping to turn a profit when she resells it, not knowing that Adam and Zack are narcs. Although Tod needs some assurance that Ronna will pay him back, so she leaves her friend Claire (Katie Holmes) as collateral. Needless to say the deal goes bad and Ronna is now totally screwed.Then the movie sort of starts over again but this time from Simon's point of view and his wild adventures in Vegas. Simon and friends get into some pretty crazy sh** and end up on the run from some low level strip club mobsters when Simon shots one of them in the arm. This story will cross path with Tod and Claire near the end.Lastly we've go to the point of view of Adam and Zack and their relationship with officer Burke (William Fichtner) who is overseeing their plea bargain to get and arrest that will lead him to Tod. They will also run into Ronna again at a very inopportune time. Everything in each story in connected in one way or another and makes it joy to watch. The characters are interesting, quirky, and funny, and the story is tightly packed with out a second to spare. It's a pretty fun experience even if it is a little dated. So if your feeling a little nostalgic for the 90s I suggest you "Go".