Swindle (2002) / Crime-Action
MPAA Rated: R for violence and some nudity
Running Time: 93 minCast: Tom Sizemore, Sherilyn Fenn, Conrad Pla, Dave Foley, Barry Blake, Jack Daniel Wells
Director: K.C. Bascombe
Screenplay: K.C. Bascombe
Review published September 2, 2003
$WINDLE is a cheapie bank heist flick which wants to be a hip crime caper, much in the vein of an Elmore Leonard novel, but doesn't have the writing to pull it off. There isn't much here that isn't clichéd, from trite dialogue to tired action pieces. Granted, there are some credible actors in the mix, but with lines this laughable and characters this one-dimensional, there really isn't much for them to do but go through the motions.
Sizemore (Pearl Harbor, Red Planet) plays a deep cover cop suspected of getting too deep by his cohorts on the NYPD, and under investigation for being on the take. He gets himself involved with a crew planning a bank heist, but is he really on the take or just taking the bad guys down from the inside out?
With such second tier actors' names above the title, you know you're in for B-grade entertainment at best. Sizemore does the best he can with what little he has to work with, and Fenn (Lovelife, Of Mice and Men) is mostly forgettable as the brains of the crew, providing the film's obligatory sex scene and possible love interest for the protagonist. Dave Foley's (Monkeybone, Dick) fans will most likely be disappointed that none of his comedic skills are used in a bland, underwritten role.
This is all by the numbers stuff, without any real redeeming quality save the rather short running time. Sloppy direction, a nonsensical plot, and about the most incessantly annoying soundtrack put to film makes this a complete waste of time for most viewers.
Forget the bank job, whatever money you paid to watch a film this redundantly redundant is the real swindle.
Qwipster's rating:
©2003 Vince Leo
