Reviewed by Neil Davey
Stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alice Braga, Tim Allen, Emily Mortimer,
Joe Mantegna, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Max Martini,
Cathy Cahlin Ryan, Ricky Jay
Written by David Mamet
Certification UK 15 | US R
Runtime 99 minutes
Directed by David Mamet
“There’s always a way out,” says martial arts instructor Mike Terry to his students. “You just have to find it.” Given the early appearance of this mantra and given that this is a David Mamet film, it should be obvious that this is going to be key and, indeed, it’s the whole point of the film. What’s not obvious though is how this will apply to Mike.
An intensely honourable man, Mike is struggling to make ends meet from teaching jujitsu. Although his wife Sondra (Braga) comes from a cash-rich, fight-promoting family, Mike isn’t interested. Competition, he reasons, diminishes the purity of the art form and he won’t participate. When Mike saves big Hollywood action star Chet Frank (Allen, a revelation in a straight role) from a bar fight, the financial problems look to be over. Frank takes Mike under his wing, giving him a $20,000 watch as a thank you, and bringing him in as an advisor to his new war film. Meanwhile his wife Zena (Mamet’s own spouse, Rebecca Pidgeon) offers a business lifeline to Sondra. Life is good. Or it would be if Zena didn’t suddenly stop taking Sondra’s calls after Sondra’s taken a $30,000 bridging loan against the deal, and if the watch hadn’t turned out to be stolen. Mike appears to be left with no option other than to fight. But is he a victim of circumstances? Or a much deeper plot?
It is, obviously, the latter: Mamet and fate don’t sit well together. And it’s probably Mamet’s best film since House of Games. This is a superbly intricate, densely plotted bit of conspiracy, the depth of which only becomes apparent in the final moments and, more likely, during the hours afterwards when the film lingers in your mind. The acting is of similar quality. Ejiofor has never been better — which should be recommendation enough — and Mamet’s usual suspects, such as Mrs M, Jay and Mantegna, are as cool, clipped and menacing as ever. With the addition of Tim Allen, serious actor, this is a very fine ensemble indeed. Best of all though, in a year when directors seem to be struggling to end films satisfactorily, Mamet delivers a climax of utter perfection: cliché free, moving and with a subtle hint of optimism. A very good film indeed.