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Review Uploaded
05/09/03

1 hr. 38 mins.
Starring: Edward Burns, Rachel Wiesz, Dustin Hoffman, Andy Garcia, Paul Giamatti, Brian Van Holt, Donal Logue, Luis Guzman, Robert Forster, Morris Chestnut, Franky G
Directed by: James Foley

Rating: *** stars (out of 4 stars)

Astute moviegoers are always game for a decent flick that can easily perpetrate a fraud in convincing fashion. There have been many shining examples over the years that have presented the con-game genre in all its celebrated and seedy glory. After all, who wouldn’t appreciate the duplicitous nature of con artists willing to flirt with the dark side of their intended chicanery? Well, in director James Foley’s crafty and polished crime caper Confidence the heat is definitely on as we are taken into the pinnacle of the entertaining flim flam underbelly of the intriguing proceedings. With an enjoyable and unctuous cast of impeccable players willing to ride shotgun in this stylish and double-crossing expose of carousing and corruption, Foley’s nourishing and naughty narrative provides plenty of “confidence” in which to draw upon. This is a gently convoluted but smooth scam piece that sucks the audience into its wily realm of mischievousness.

Suffice to say, there isn’t much originality to the premise that is executed in Confidence. This drama and its ability to dupe its observers are nothing new in the twists and turns department. But Foley (Glengarry Glen Ross) and screenwriter Doug Jung do have an inspired and giddy agenda in helming this delicious violent vehicle by shrewdly evoking the reminiscent effectiveness of cool contemporary ditties such as The Sting, Pulp Fiction, The Grifters and House of Games. The carefree swagger in Confidence is palatable enough and its ode to the aforementioned cinematic influences is indeed infectious. No matter how indebted this slick showcase is to the rambunctious fare that came before it, Foley’s criminal cross-examination of cocky crimebreakers definitely cuts to the proverbial chase.

The movie focuses upon the shady grifting talents of the self-assured Jake Vig (Edward Burns) and his loyal L.A.-based sidekicks Gordo (Paul Giamatti) and Miles (Brian Van Holt). This crew diligently goes around town scheming and scamming their way into one con job after another while profiting from their illegal endeavors. However, Jake and his cautious cronies step on the wrong toes when they inadvertently mess with the wrong swindled sucker in the name of The King (Dustin Hoffman), an oily crime boss (is there any other kind?) whose cash was taken by the well-executed (or clumsy-depending on your point of view) racket.

To make sudden amends with the sleazy bigshot King otherwise he’ll face certain dire consequences, Jake and his followers promise to perform a bigger score that will restore the financial loss of the creepy crime cretin. Of course this will be somewhat of a big undertaking but Jake has no choice in the matter-he needs to come up with the ultimate caper unless he wants to retire permanently in the scam artists graveyard for all eternity. Thus, Jake must work feverishly to train new blood and get them into the fold quickly in order to pull off a frothy heist. One of his pleasurable “assignments” is prepping the lovely and curvy Lily (Rachel Wiesz) for her role as an alluring pickpocket.

While Jake figures out how to escape the stranglehold of his predicament involving the unpredictable King as well as toiling relentlessly over his latest ambitious sting operation, he has to struggle to stay an arm’s length away from dogged FBI agent Gunther Butan (Andy Garcia) whose looking to bag Jake and get even for a previous business dealing gone awry. And if that’s not enough to worry about, he has to think twice about his association with two roguish cops (Luis Guzman and Donal Logue) who are as crooked as a dog’s hind leg. And Robert Forster (from his Oscar-nominated turn in Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown) is on board as another con man looking to make waves in the rough water.

Overall, all the spokes in this particular wheel are tight so that this thriller doesn’t wobble too much when rolling along. The high jinks being put forth are compelling courtesy of the celebrated cast that the movie boasts so prominently. Ed Burns is delightfully smug and dashing as the leader behind the mayhem. Surprisingly, Burns is almost on par with the debonair demeanor of George Clooney’s alter ego Danny Ocean in the updated remake of Ocean’s Eleven. Usually Burns comes off as drab and bland in a lot of his film projects but he certainly comes alive in this showcase. Dustin Hoffman plays his despicable crime lord with smarmy relish and couldn’t be better in the scabby skin he’s urged to wear as a perverted badge of honor. Rachel Wiesz may possibly be the weakest link as part of this frolicking package as her role doesn’t necessarily merit any standout notices as the resident femme fatale of the group. Nevertheless, she’s still radiant and adds the hormonal charge needed to invigorate this gritty session of plotting and planning.

Although Confidence wouldn’t make any die hard film fan of this durable hook-and-bait genre immediately forget the treasured treachery as demonstrated in such devilish gems as Get Shorty or Traveller, this film is zesty and distinctive enough to stand on its own two feet and claim its brand of sharp-witted and dark tongue-in-cheek sass. The material is smart and rewarding in the way it serves up the flashy exploits of a robust cast that jumps hoops through the outrageousness of this movie’s cockeyed convictions. Filmmaker Foley doesn’t always shy away from the overused and conventional gimmicky storytelling devices (the usage of flashback scenes or incorporating the steady insistence of voice-over narration) and this is kind of disappointing because his exposition could have been more refreshing had it ventured into another unique manner of relaying its joyfully sordid storyline. But with that in mind, Confidence still delivers the caustic goodies thanks to the vibrancy of its clicking ensemble.