Lucky Number Slevin

© A.J. Malouin 2008

(Rating: 8 by Al.)
(See our side-bar page “How Caryl & Al & The Film Snob Rate Movies”)

(2006/USA. Directed by Paul McGuigan)
Toooooooo slick for the audience’s own good, this hip-looking, slick-talking entertainment has layer upon layer of look, language and luggage all designed to hide the story it tells. What is designed to be Very Clever is actually merely a non-linear line of film-editing which makes the story impossible for the audience to follow.

Impossible that is until the voice-over narration gives us blessed relief from the confusion that Some Hollywood Thinks pass for clever.

Once (literally) upon a time hip-talking gangster dialogue was cool. *That* ship, however, has sailed and no one told the writers here.

Al was turned off by the over-the-top violence that starts during the opening credits and never lets up.

Ben Kingsley and Morgan Freeman have roles that fall way way short of using their full acting potential. They play opposing mob bosses who live in bullet-proof penthouses across the NYC Canyon from each other.

If you like Lucy Lui, you’ll see her showcased a lot here as the love interest and ramshackle partner of Josh Hartnett, a revenge-seeking young man who has given himself the name “Slevin Kelevra.” Oh, yeah, Bruce Willis wonders and wanders thoughtfully through the story line as the ultimately cold-blooded, yet children-compassionate professional killer.

It’s visual, violent and vengeful fun, and you’ll probably enjoy “Lucky Number Slevin” even more than Al did. (1 hr 49. Rated R for strong violence, sexuality and language.)