I don't understand what the hype is all about. This film had great potential but it rapidly fell apart near the ending. 4 corrupt cops, gambling addict, cheating behind backs, and stealing cash from the bad guys. Ray Liota can't live without his lucky lighter, somehow loses it and yes, of course, his luck quickly runs dry. Daniel Baldwin is the other problem. His acting was horrendous causing it be one of the main causes why this film failed in the short run. This could have been a great hit but it was summarized by 4 goof-ball cops that can't seem to hold it without making stupid mistakes. The plot of the story was very predictable.

This was one of my (very) lucky dips into the supermarket bran-tub. It was just 50p. But it starred Ray Liotta and Angelica Huston, so it had to be worth a punt. I had never heard of it before.Big surprise. Liotta plays a detective on the skids. He's basically a decent character who is fatally flawed by the vice of gambling. We follow his life as - by turns - it deteriorates into a chaos driven by mounting debt. He has cop colleagues who are even less reliable than himself. Collectively, they present a bitterly amoral face of modern-day policing in Phoenix. This is not a feel-good movie.In crisis, he recruits 3 confidantes to rob a familiar hood, in order to pay off his debts and something to spare. It turns into slaughter. Their senior officer becomes aware of their behaviour but as well as reporting it, decides to cut a slice of the action for himself in a brutal business of corruption, double-cross and murder. There is no happy-ending.The dour characters are set against often gloomy weather and nocturnal activity, enhancing the movie's down-beat texture. Even in the desert sun they are often cast into dark relief by the harsh light.Script is suitably cynical and well-chosen. All the players fit their characters well. Anthony Lapaglia, Daniel Baldwin, Jeremy Piven et al, give excellent returns. There's no bad egg in the carton. Lighting, sound and editing are all up to the job. Four men walking abreast to a common destiny is a very old theme in cinema. We've seen it in 'Gunfight at the OK Corral', 'The Wild Bunch', 'Resevoir Dogs', and probably others.This movie lacks that touch of comic irony that lights up even the grimmest of Tarantino movies, rendering - I think - a greater sense of realism. It's dark and uncompromising; it especially reminds me of 'The Grifters', which also starred Ms Huston. I can't say better than that.This movie is definitely a collectors' item. Highly recommended.

A unique movie indeed which revolves around the life of a person who believes in luck. Usually people are divided into two groups: 1)those who believe in luck (the smart ones who really know what life is about) and 2)those who pretend to be smart and claim that they can make their own destiny. Phoenix is the movie which has the right answer for group 2.It is a brilliant story with brilliant acting from Liotta. The movie successfully manages to tackle the subject of luck and destiny without boring us. You can see it clearly that the actors are making their best to make you enjoy the movie and they all give you the taste of Scorcese's movies. You, at many points, in the movie feel as if you are watching Deniro and Pesci yet in a different context.I don't want to ruin the plot for you but you will definitely like this movie.

There's just one problem with this movie : it takes place in Arizona yet everyone seems to have a distinctive East Coast accent ... sorry, but most cops in Phoenix don't sound like they're from New Jersey. It seems that every actor in a gritty crime drama is required to have this gruff, Gothamesque 'Prince of the City' voice. (Incidentally, most of the lead actors are from the New York tri-state area ...) Of course, this is a minor flaw. Ray Liotta -- though typecast, unfortunately -- gives an intense, compelling performance as a gambling addict. This isn't his best role, by any means, but he is quite competent as usual. I always enjoy his work and he is undervalued, in my opinion. Still, in general, they could've made this movie a tad truer to the region without losing its edge.