The plot of a bachelor party gone terribly wrong plays far better as "black comedy" in "Very Bad Things", than in the claustrophobic free for all that is "Stag". The constant flip flopping of plans to save their asses really becomes tiresome. Almost the entire film takes place in one room, and with so many characters with zero character development, the outcome becomes a "so what". Sure it's violent at times, but the talent of Ben Gazzara, and especially Jerry Stiller is totally wasted by not pursuing the dark comedy angle. What you are left with is a claustrophobic movie, that is vastly inferior to "Very Bad Things". - MERK

**SPOILERS** An anything goes wild stag party turns into a nightmare for all those involved with half of the participants ending up dead, from gunshots beatings suicide and even a heart-attack, and the other half having their lives ruined forever.It didn't have to happen this way it was just to be an evening of good natured fun for the person that the party was being thrown for "Entrepreneur of the Year" Victor Mallick, John Stockwell. Victor about to get married had everything going for him in both business and marriage but that went down the drain together with his freedom by the time the night of horrors ended. Victor now faces some seven years behind bars with his good friend and business partner attorney Michael Barnes, Mario Van Peebles, turning states evidence against him.As for that slick and slimy shyster, who's running for city council, Michael Barnes all his back-stabbing and legal maneuvering in the end will not only have his license to practice law revoked but have him end up as Victor's cell-mate. Michael as smart as he was, in saving his lousy neck, overlooked an object that recorded the entire sleazy cover-up that he orchestrated. A good old video camcorder that was accidentally left, during all the confusion, on record mode!The party at first was going as expected with everyone getting juiced on booze and drugs until two, paid for their services, strippers Kelly together with her older sister Serena, Jenny McShane & Taylor Dayne, and their friend Stoker, William Parel,unexpectedly dropped in. Dressed as policemen the three, Kelly Serena & Stoker, ended up setting off the by now out of control and excited party-goers to the point where Kelly ended up dead with her spine broken.Trying to cover up Kelly's death, which in fact was accidental, the stag-party goer made things a lot worse in trying to protect their careers and reputations by acting like criminals more then just someone, or someones, who're victims of circumstances. A lot like the movie "12 Angry Men" we get to see the guest of honor Victor and his drinking and partying buddies try to justify their actions that lead to Kelly's death. In justifying their actions Victor & Co. do things far worse, and with full knowledge of what their doing, then what they did to the deceased Kelly by accident! What we get is a night of planning conniving and executing crimes that in the end would put the entire cast of characters, with the exception of those who ended up dead, behind bars for up to fifteen years.The film "Stag" shows how a group of totally innocent and, with the exception of the stag party's drug supplier ex-con Pete Webber (Andrew McCarthy), upright citizens can in their unfounded fear be whipped up to commit a number of major crimes in a frantic effort to save their jobs freedoms and reputations. Webber, the drug dealer, being a career criminal was anything but concerned in murdering those who can implicate him in Kelly's death. It was fascinating to see Webber's, who should have known better, plan since the worst that he, having really nothing to lose, could get is breaking his parole not losing a six figure job in the business legal sports or entertainment world. ***SPOILER ALERT***The person at the party who was just there because he was Victor's good friend, not that he was a big success in anything, Gulf War Vet Dan Kane, Kevin Dillion, was the only one who seemed to have his head screwed on straight. Trying to do the right thing Ken almost gets himself shot by non-other then Victor, in trying to save his a**, who didn't know who his friends really were until the police put the cuffs on him. Victor trusted his good friend and business partner Michael Barnes who's testimony sent him up the river without a paddle and, when he was to be released, job to support his very expensive lifestyle.P.S What a difference things would have been for Victor, as well as those at the stag party, if he just listened to his friend Ken. Ken, unlike Michael Barnes, looked after Victor's best interests not those of his own. In the end the almost invisible, to those at the party, camcorder, and what it recorded, was the evidence that got Ken off the hook as well as hooked Victor and his friends into the sate penitentiary.

I was up late the other night and this was on HBO. I only started to watch it because of John Henson, who I liked watching on "Talk Soup". Boy, was this a stretch for him!"Stag"'s premise is simple enough, but the writing and cinematography were complex. As I was watching, I was reminded of another engrossing film... "Suicide Kings". Both take place in one location (mostly), and both involve a group of guys dealing with their recent actions, and a hostage. Both also have a known comedic actor (in this case Henson) doing a dramatic turn. And VERY well, I might add.Unlike most movies, this one doesn't quite turn out like you think it will, not completely. For mostly B Actors, I was very impressed with the quality of the work. I'm also surprised more impressive talents didn't sign on after Jerry Stiller got attached to the movie! But nonetheless... if you liked "Suicide Kings" you should like "Stag" as well.

This film was recommended to me by a friend, and I must say that I was surprised to find that I disagreed so vehemently with his opinion - he thought it was brilliant, I thought it was awful. The basic premise of the film (a group of guys accidently kill a stripper and her escort at a stag party, and then must make a decision on how to deal with the situation) was a promising one. However, it was sorely let down in its realisation. The acting was pretty terrible (especially by Kevin Dillon), the storyline dragged, and the same few ideas on how to shirk the blame for the crime were repeated over and over again. Every now and then someone else says "Hey, why don't we blame it all on the surviving stripper?", followed by someone else saying "Why don't we kill her too?" all the way through the film. And then the resolution, when it finally comes, is disappointingly unimaginative and messy. Don't bother with this one.