Two out of four stars (Rated R for profanity, violence, and sexuality) Running time: 98 minutes
“A
fox is not a fox until he is caught in the henhouse.” That’s Edward Burns during his
voice-over narration in “Confidence,” the new caper thriller that
opened locally on Friday.
I’m
a big fan of caper films, especially the products of David Mamet, like his
“House of Games,” “The Spanish Prisoner,” and
“Heist.” Add to that
last summer’s “Ocean’s 11” and “The Score.” I feel confident that
“Confidence” will not end up anyone’s short list of great
caper films.
Burns
plays Jake Vig, mastermind of a motley crew of confidence men including
colorful characters named Gordo (Paul Giamatti of “Big Fat Liar”
fame) and Miles (Brian Van Holt).
They along with the alluring Lily (Rachel Weisz) lock horns with an
eccentric but threatening crime boss named The King (Dustin Hoffman) in a deal
gone bad. Vig and gang have
unwittingly liberated The King of $150,000 with one of their cronies whacked in
the process.
To keep
from being fitted with cement shoes, Vig agrees to pay back the $150 G’s
but only if The King will provide an additional $200,000 so he can be cut in
for a $5 million payoff from the scam of a lifetime.
All of
the plot twists and double crosses are explained by Burns’ droning
narration, as though the viewer needs help to follow what unfolds. The execution is so clumsy, I felt like
a batter being tipped off by the catcher to look for a waist-high fastball on the
next pitch. A good caper flick is
supposed to keep you guessing.
There
are also a couple of crooked cops (Luis Guzman and Donal Logue), a Lt.
Columbo-like federal agent (Andy Garcia), and The King’s menacing
henchman (Frankie G) along for the ride.
This is
a clear-cut case of “Too many crooks spoil the broth.”
Hoffman,
what little we see of him in a couple of scenes, seems to be acting in a
different movie while Burns isn’t very convincing as a con man. But the film takes one twist too many
when it eliminates the narrator.
That maneuver destroys any semblance of a worthwhile payoff at the end
for the audience.
Gary
Brown is co-host of the Montgomery College Film Series. For information call (936) 273-7324 or
e-mail garyb@nhmccd.edu.