The common complaint (amongst idiots) about Michael Mann’s Heat is that the heavyweight acting showdown between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro is a dud because the two banter almost exclusively via over-the-shoulder shots in their one substantial scene together. When the film hit home video in pan-and-scan format, a bogus theory cropped up claiming that the two never even exchanged a line of dialogue during the shoot (in other words, the backs of the heads occupying the foreground belonged to stand-ins). Well, for those of you who needed to see Pacino and De Niro squaring off in the same frame for the duration of an entire movie, here is the teaser for Jon Avnet’s Righteous Kill.
As I said in my June 20th, 2007 Crop Report, I’d love to see these guys hook up a few more times before they’re geriatrics, but thes screenplay by the talented Russell Gewirtz (Inside Man) is derivative and utterly preposterous. The basic idea of a serial killer targeting perps previously collared by Pacino and De Niro isn’t a terrible idea, but the execution was way off (and the major plot twist heavily telegraphed). Still, I’m interested to hear how this trailer works for those of you who haven’t read the screenplay. If it weren’t for Carla Gugino, I’d declare this a highly ineffective piece of advertising (which means anything is salable with a dollop of the Gugino).
Overture Films plans to release Righteous Kill on September 12th. That’s the same day Focus Features opens the Coens’ Burn After Reading. One of those films will blink.
21 comments
This is looking pretty bland.
I wanna see James Caan & Robert Duvall hook up a couple more times. Tis been too long since THE KILLER ELITE.
Whats the money on Carla Gugino getting fucked by at least of these geezers during the course of the film?
Bland is what one must expect from a Jon Avnet production. One of those director names that makes me dismiss a film right off the bat regardless of the other talent involved. He's consistent anyway!
It looks like yet another movie trying to milk The Departed's success (between the Rolling Stones and the title card sequence), and Carla Gugino is just another Vera Farmiga… talented, but likely to be reduced to T&A playing in 'man' movies.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I didn't think The Departed was recognized for the Rolling Stones, It was Pink Floyd in the departed trailer.
I don't think it looks bad. I'll see for sure.
rolling stones was in the departed trailer and movie: 'gimme shelter' from let it bleed. as was pink floyd.
Wasn't it Van Morrison singing Floyd?
Both of those actors are only as good as their director. This looks pretty standard.
But HOLY CRAP!!! That line about "Nothing wrong with shooting so long as the right people get shot" is a DIRECT STEAL from a Clint Eastwood movie! One of the Dirty Harrys, I think.
Somebody should sue.
doesn't look like much fun. 50cent should stay away from movies. this is like the movie version of grape nuts.
is it bad when you stop watching the trailer to listen to the music?
It was gimmie shelter by the rolling stones and comfortably numb by van morrison and pink floyd, a specific cover version. And. These guys haven't made a good movie in more than 10 years, and this one doesn't look too good. Past few months i've watched alot of old Deniro movies and Pacino movies and was reminded why they are legendary but what the fuck happened since then?
It was actually Roger Waters featuring Van Morrison, Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm of The Band (as well as members of Waters' touring band) playing "Comfortably Numb" at the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990 from the album "The Wall Live in Berlin." Besides Waters, no one else from Floyd plays on it. Man I'm a nerd.
I wanna see Mickey Rourke And Robert DeNiro hook up a couple more times. Been too long since ANGEL HEART!
I wanna see Pacino and the gays team up again. 'Tis been too long since CRUISING. Make it happen Hollywood!
Damn this movie needs a script rewrite and most likely, re-shoots. Sadly, this was easily deduced from watching a 1:38 min trailer that lacked any hook.
I'm going to watch "Heat" now. It will make me feel better.
Im ditching this movie after some A-HOLE wrote the worst most spoilerific review of all time on AICN. Dickhead ruined everything. Plus it looks a bit DTV.
Nice write up, Jeremy.
"So you are saying you would throw your whole career away, and respect as an actor, by starting in drivel such as The Score, 15 Minutes, Meet the Fockers, etc, and only making movies for a paycheck?"
"That is the discipline"
I like this kid, RCA. He's crazy!
"anything is salable with a dollop of the Gugino"
Amen and mm mm good.
Comments are shown as archived from the original site; new comments are closed.