I watched plenty of movies this week and out of them, I think this is the best of the bunch.The setup was good and it followed through rather nicely.The story flowed well and there was not an over use of hard language or violence where there didn't need to be.Of all the gangster movies I watched, this is one of the better ones.What I really liked was that the film didn't take place in New York, Chicago, L.A. or Miami.It also takes place in winter and not everybody lives in the largest of homes or has the latest fashions or has poor vocabulary skills.The entire structure is nicely constructed and is a worthwhile viewing.The Scorpion and the Frog story made total sense and brought back some memories of someone who used to tell me that same story - and in this movie, it made total sense.Nice job to all.

EXTERIOR: NIGHT INSIDE CAR The opening is much like the opening of RESERVOIR DOGS, which starts with a wounded guy in the back of a car.This revenge mob hit film is reminiscent of PRIME CUT, (Lee Marvin) and THE EVIL THAT MEN DO, (Charlie Bronson) and about a dozen mobster revenge films where a lower echelon mobster seeks justice against the mobster kingpin for killing a family member or other unforgivable act.But, I really enjoyed this thriller because of the relationship between Vincent and Joshua.Didn't think Vincent needed to be a paranoid tho, and the scene showing his wife's affair should not have been cut out of the movie.I agree with others, that this dark, relationship thriller, turns into a Jackie Chan martial art duke out...so it jumps out of style. Confusing flash back on who really killed Joshua's dad. Despite some murky editing and script confusion, the mutual loyalty between Joshua and Vincent could have been stronger...too many confusing moments.EXTERIOR: DAY OUTSIDE VINCENT'S HOUSECar is outside with two hit men waiting for Vincent to come out of the house. Their car is bumped from behind. WTF? They get out for a look and are are quite surprised at what happens. So was I. Nicely, done. And, great supporting characters in this overall good, engaging drama. I don't know why it wasn't in the theaters. Maybe it was on a limited release.

This is a movie that begins by spoiling the movie and then going back in time like so many movies have done before. There are so many movie clichés in this flick you could make a drinking game out if it. The characters' actions do not make any sense and neither does the ending. If I hear the scorpion crossing the river story in another movie, I am going to freak out. It is up there with "We are the same.. you and I!" The dialog is really badly written, and the characters' motivations get jumbled up so often, the characters make no sense. This supposedly HUGE powerful crime boss brings a small timer into his home (why?), gets insulted and then just lets him leave (why?). Then kills the small timer's wife and then remains at that very house. Then has next to no protection on his home, a house he showed him how to get to. Characters bust out knives when it is convenient for the plot. This generic hole filled plot was really bad and the action scenes were pretty generic too. People casually chatting back and forth while gunfighting, senseless character actions, implausible circumstances over and over again. I tend to turn my brain off for action movies, but this one was beyond brain dead. It was like the script was written by a 12 year old with no editing. Many scenes had a "come on, that is ridiculous" moment. If it was cheesy and campy, it may have come off, but this movie took itself seriously.

Thoroughly agree with Wizard 8; a tidy and unpretentious little gangster flick with solid performance from all the players. Miguel Ferrer does indeed hold the screen as a hard man living by a set of questionable principles, but Cuba Gooding is no slouch as the right hand man approaching a personal crossroads in life. The legendary Harvey Keitel just has to turn up on this one. The plot is fairly simple, the dialogue punchy, and it just moves right along. Not for the kids please – too violent - but it certainly deserves an adult look. It doesn't pretend to be Godfather Part 2 - what you see is what you get. Good flick.