Post-Tarentino Cinema

Ever seen the movie "Smokin' Aces"? Right, maybe not. But since I'm shelling out $8 a month to have HBO so I can watch "The Wire," I've been TiVOing the shit out of HBO's sad-as-fuck "Feature Presentation" lineup. I say sad-as-fuck, because really, I could find some of these movies on TNT. And really, who wants to watch the shit they broadcast on TNT? Ted Turner doesn't even care about that channel, and he owns it. Anyhow, among the recent film fare I've sampled is Joe Carnahan's Tarentino-esque "Smokin' Aces." So here's my problem, I think I dig this film, but I'm also bothered by an underlying feeling of annoyance with it as well. And really, I'm not sure why. Maybe its the aforementioned Tarentino-like qualities of the film, or maybe the "trying too hard" feel. But obviously Carnahan has some clout in La La Land, just check out his slate of upcoming films, and the people he's working with (Edward Norton, Charlize Theron). But in Hollywood, clout and talent aren't always one and the same. So my confused viewing response has lead me to further examine a film that I probably wouldn't have paid to see.

Okay, so Carnahan does some shit to make the noir genre his own in this film. For example, the violence is great, and even fairly inventive (assassins wielding chainsaws are pretty cool, however junior high school it may sound). Plus, Jason Bateman has a great scene/monologue where he rants about God giving him a small penis and bad skin, and how he wishes he could have just been a tough guy. And lastly, Ben Affleck gets killed, which is never a bad thing. But I kept having this nagging feeling, like it was the mid-90s again and I was watching Pulp Fiction knock offs, like Two Days in the Valley (fuckin' James Spader). And that violence I just praised Carnahan for, it's the same over-the-top ultraviolence that made Tarentino rich. So why should we care if someone is mining that same territory in a very similar fashion? (BTW, a quick Google search reveals that Mr. Carnahan spends much of his time on the press junket saying that he DOES NOT emulate Mr. Tarentino... check out his comments starting in the sixth graph down in the linked interview).

Ugh, then I keep watching and find myself really digging this movie. When Sharice Watters (Taraji P. Henson) and Georgia Sykes (Alicia Keys) are introduced, I had to laugh (in a good way). The pair plays a female assassin team flossin' some old school B-girl flavor (see picture above). Alicia Keys, who I have never given a second thought, really kills it in this movie. Her deadpan humor is unexpected, and her style in this film is too good. Plus, after watching her play tough and shoot people, I think I had a film crush after the movie was over.

Lastly, and quite shockingly, Jeremy Piven does a bang-up job of playing a coked-out FBI informant. Sure, his acting range is no DeNiro in "Raging Bull," but his portrayal of Vegas magician Buddy "Aces" Israel is pretty airtight (think Ari Gold from Entourage, but colored with a different shade of cocky).

Now that my interest in writing about this film is winding down (and for real, my stomach is grumbling, I need a snack), I can see why Carnahan is experiencing some success in Hollywood. He's playing the sex and violence card while working in the crime/drama genre. Throw in some big-name cameos ("Smokin' Aces" has what amounts to a shit ton) and add the right amount of "quirk" (read: Jason Bateman, Neo-Nazis killers, etc.), and you'll soon have a license to "print money" as insider movie dicks like to say. And really, isn't it always about money? Oh well, over and out folks.