One of those films which is both underrated and ignored by most of the cinema-going public, this film is none-the-less hugely entertaining. Treading on very familiar ground, a road trip (around New York) where everything that can go wrong does go wrong, it features a superlative performance by director/star Bill Murray who manages to remain completely straight-faced and deadpan throughout. The plot, a well conceived and executed bank heist followed by an escape to the nearest airport, does spin new material onto the old premise and the first half-hour is a hoot as Murray completely outwits the police and makes a clean break. That things start to go wrong is not so much of a surprise but the tragi-comic events are excellently handled and most tie in brilliantly at the end. Murray stars as Grimm, a disenchanted city planner, who decides to screw his hated home town of New York City out of $1 million dollars along with best friend Loomis (Quaid) and girlfriend Phyllis (Davis).
All three of the main stars look like they are having a great time of it and with a script packed with as many witty one liners as this one it's no surprise. Summing up just how horrible their escape has been a desperate Loomis looks at a departing plane and asks "Is that our plane?" to which Phyllis replies "No, if that was our plane, it would be crashing". As the three luckless bank robbers bumble around New York they are expertly persued by Police Chief Rotzinger, a man in desperate need of a conviction. Played by Jason Robards, his character exudes exactly the same feelings of hopelessness and tenacity that his quarry do and with each minute that passes he gets closer to catching them. All this leads to a surprising conclusion with everyone walking away a winner, figure that one out if you can. Look out for some great cameos from the likes of Phil Hartman, Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub as, what else, an Arabic-speaking cabbie. |
