PAYBACK
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1999 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
Like the Energizer bunny, Mel Gibson, as usual, gets beaten to a pulp,
but, with blood flowing everywhere, he just keeps on going and going in
PAYBACK, a smart new thriller by director Brian Helgeland, the
screenwriter for L.A. CONFIDENTIAL.
As a crook known only as Porter, Mel gives a tough but controlled
performance. Porter will surprise you with unexpected actions and
reactions, but this time Mel never overacts or tries to be too cute as
he frequently does in his LETHAL WEAPON series. With this restraint
comes the most empathetic acting he has done since RANSOM.
As we meet Porter, he's near death. On a dirty kitchen table, an
"doctor" is operating on him. Pouring cheap whiskey over Porter's back
as an antiseptic, the doctor extracts slugs from Porter's back. The
story concerns Porter's attempt to get back his share the loot from a
robbery, $70,000 to be precise, and he insists on being very precise.
The running joke in the movie is that everyone assumes he wants the
heist's entire take, $130,000, since no one would go through as much
grief as he does just to recover his $70,000 share.
Written by Helgeland and DEAD CALM's Terry Hayes, the movie has the
crisp dialog of a good, old detective movie. "Good guys are nice,"
Porter tells us in a raspy voice-over. "You always have to have someone
to take advantage of. But they always finish last."
Cinematographer Ericson Core provides the film's stunning look. Core,
whose work was one of the few good parts of the film 187 from two years
ago, gives the images a grimy, seedy look. The colors have been washed
out so that only the blues remain. The browns and flesh tones appear to
have been added back in, and shadows bathe every scene. Chris
Boardman's moody, mysterious music adds to the movie's heavy
atmospherics.
PAYBACK, which has a definite L.A. CONFIDENTIAL feel, creates a sleazy
world of low-rent hoods, flashy big time "syndicate" criminals, drug
dealers, crooked cops and kinky prostitutes. The screenplay takes
simple setups, like a robbery "hit," and finds ingenious ways to stage
them.
The secret of the movie is the depth of the supporting cast, and the way
the intelligent script is able to make each stand out. Gregg Henry
plays Val Resnick, Porter's partner and nemesis. Val's a blonde-headed
wild man, who has many weaknesses, not the least of which is his
proclivity for violent sex. Lucy Alexis Liu, from the television series
"Ally McBeal," plays a comically tough prostitute named Pearl, who's
more than a match for Val.
Best of all the supporting cast are the higher-ups in the syndicate,
played in delicious, small parts by James Coburn, William Devane and
Kris Kristofferson. Although totally absent of morals, they live their
respectable, normal lives as if they were investment bankers. But don't
cross them, or they will shoot you -- or worse.
Like a roller coaster, in which the riders delight in screaming down
every precipitous fall, PAYBACK loves to make the audience grimace.
Porter will get or give a dose of instant pain as the audience
collectively cries out and then falls silent waiting in silent,
subconscious anticipation for the next big drop -- exhausting but fun.
PAYBACK runs 1:44. It is rated R for strong violence, profanity, drug
use and sexuality and would be fine for older teenagers.
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Have I seen this movie: Yes
And what did I think: Mel Gibson plays a much harder and nastier character in this movie then we usually see him play. It's a change, but I prefer the other Mel better. He plays Porter a man left for dead by his wife and friend and spends the movie trying to get back a paltry sum of $70,000 even if it means his life. Why someone would go through all that trouble is beyond me. He gives a good performance here and is surrounded by some good supporting characters as well. One of the more interesting ones, is Pearl, played by Lucy Liu of Alley McBeal fame. She plays a dominatrix who thrives on pain. There are some other good performances here by James Coburn, and Kris Kristofferson. This is a very gritty film filled with lots of blood and violence, so if that doesn't appeal to you I wouldn't recommend it even if you do like Mel Gibson. The tag line is get ready to root for the bad guy, but I found it difficult to do so because he just played too nasty of a character. However, It's a good movie, and if you like violent films and want to see a different side to Mel, then check this one out.
I give Payback 3 out of 5 stars
Review written August 5, 1999
