SIN
US, 2003, 107 minutes, Colour.
Ving Rhames, Gary Oldman, Kerry Washington, Alicia Coppola, Bill Sage, Gregg Henry, Brian Cox.
Directed by Michael Stevens.
Sin is a rather brutal film about brutal people. It is a revenge film, emphasis on the revenge and violence, but also about forgiveness and coming to terms with oneself. It is a kind of voyage into the heart of darkness for its central character, former policeman Eddie Burns, played with intense seriousness by Ving Rhames.
The film is set in Nevada, in Reno. It shows the city, it shows the bars and clubs, it shows ordinary people. However, there are exotic settings outside Reno, in the desert, with lakes, and at the end, with quicksand.
Ving Rhames was injured in the line of action and has lost the use of one arm. However, as with so many themes in the film, there is another, evil side, to this accident. Bill Sage portrays Cal, a Vietnam veteran, his partner, whom he gets to help him in his search for his wayward sister (Kerry Washington) who has fallen in with gangster and pornographer, Gary Oldman, and his right-hand man, Vincent (Chris Spencer). Also involved is a New Jersey film-maker who has moved to Nevada to make pornographic films for Gary Oldman. There is also another sleazy type portrayed by Gregg Henry, a womaniser who has information that the ex-policeman needs. Brian Cox also appears as the police captain in Reno.
With this strong cast, the film is better than it might have been. It also has the benefit of the photography and the stylish look at Reno and its surroundings, different uses of filters for colour to create atmosphere.
That said, the film story is quite ugly and many of the scenes are violently ugly as well. However, the central character, working in a vigilante vein, is able to achieve some kind of self-knowledge, an ability to forgive his enemy, as well as become a hero for breaking up the pornography ring.
1. The brutality, a brutal world, brutal actions, brutal mentalities? The strength of the story? The brutality giving way to an ambiguous ending of self-justification, of forgiveness, of public heroism?
2. The settings in Reno, Nevada? The vistas, the lake, the mountains, the desert? Homes and roads? Reno, the police precincts, pornography studios, the bars? An American world? The musical score?
3. The title, conscience, Eddie and his sin and repentance, Charlie and his career? His sins? The police, integrity or not? The world of crime and repentance?
4. The introduction to Eddie, Ving Rhames and a strong screen presence, African American, his age, appearance, type? Ex-policeman? The loss of his arm? Wanting to farm? Her relationship with his sister, the difficulties? The anger, going into action? Captain Oakes and his reminding him that he was not a policeman any more? His past friendship with Cal, working with Cal as a partner, their sharing the experiences? The story of the death of the young man, his hanging himself? Eddie and his plans, seeking information, confronting Conrad, the pressures to get information, the phone calls? Going to the hospital, his sister? The encounter with Bella? The background of the Thai visitors, diplomatic immunity, his executing the Thai man? Rescuing Bella? The confrontation with the older fight, the man? The set-up, the garage, the meeting with Charlie without realising who he was? The talk about their lives and experience? The meeting in the church, the confrontation, his being nailed to the altar, the video of his sister? His bad arm, getting loose? His mistakenly shooting Cal on the steps of the church? His meeting with Bella, persuading her to film Charlie, the confession? Charlie’s escape, the fire escape, his shooting Vincent, the chase through the desert, the crash, Charlie getting out of the car, his going into the quicksand? His plea, Eddie willing to save him, unable to, Charlie’s plea about shooting him, Eddie doing this? His going to Captain Oakes, discovering that he was a hero, the public grateful that the ring was brought to judgment? The theme of forgiveness? Charlie’s future?
5. Kassie, her relationship with Eddie, her wayward life, the drugs, the sexual relationship with Charlie, the torture, with the Thai visitors, the brutality, the video, her being hospitalised, her confessing to Charlie, getting out, the revelation that her torture was Charlie’s vengeance on the death of his brother?
6. Cal, his life, being a partner to Charlie, with Captain Oakes, under orders, getting the information, Charlie and the photos of his behaviour in Vietnam, the blackmail, the phone call to Eddie, betraying him, waiting in the bar, his attacking his minder, getting out, wanting to save Eddie, Eddie mistakenly shooting him?
7. Charlie and his type, relying on Vincent, the pornography industry, Kassie and her place in this group, the Thai visitors and their doing business, at the club, the sexual encounters? His phone call to Eddie, Cal and the blackmail with the photos, going to the garage, pretending to work there, his talking seriously with Eddie? The church, his brutality, nailing Eddie to the altar? In his club, Eddie confronting him, the confession, his being killed, his taking the film, throwing the knife at Bella? The flashbacks of what happened, Eddie’s mistake, assuming that the brother was the police killer, the irony that it was Charlie, Eddie persuading Charlie to realise that he had caused his brother’s death? The escape, the chase through the desert, giving the film back to Eddie so that his brother would be vindicated, his pleading for Eddie to shoot him?
8. Captain Oakes, the role of the police, police integrity, Captain Oakes and the ending and being forced to acknowledge Eddie as a hero?
9. Bella and her life, the filming sequences, her cast and their behaviour, the glimpse of the industry, her helping Kassie, the hospital, abducted by the Thais, Eddie helping her escape, in the lake and her not being willing to give Eddie information? Her filming Charlie’s confession, her being stabbed by Charlie?
10. The world of Reno? The uglier aspects? Issues of conscience and change?
