SMOKIN’ ACES
US, 2006, 108 minutes, Colour.
Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Joseph Roskum, Alex Rocco, Wayne Newton, Jeremy Piven, Ben Affleck, Peter Berg, Martin Henderson, Common, Andy Garcia, Alicia Keys, Devinia Mc Fadden, Taraji P.Henson, Chris Pine, Kevin Durand, Tommy Flanigan, Curtis Armstrong, Joel Edgerton, Matthew Fox, David Proval, Jason Bateman.
Directed by Joe Carnahan.
Mess, mayhem and mystery.
There is a card motif running through this post-Tarantino crime caper and Aces is the nickname of the Las Vegas magician who is the target of Mafia, assorted contract killers, bail bondsmen and the FBI. Aces is forever looking at his cards and tricks to interpret what he will do next. He is always pulling aces – except that he often pulls the Joker and, ultimately, the jokes of fate are on him.
In the early 90s there was Reservoir Dogs, then Pulp Fiction, then any number of similar kinds of thriller like Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead. This rather late entry into the field is something like a Things They Do in Tahoe to Make You Dead.
It’s a complicated plot on the surface, although the main clue to the mystery is given fairly early and fairly obviously.
The dialogue is that black, ironic kind of commentary on crime, life, death and the fickle finger of fate. The characters are larger than life ciphers, representing all kinds of criminal types and investigating types. The action and language are loud and obvious. The body count, especially of some of the leading characters, is on the high side.
So, the last, dying Mafia chief sets killers on to the magician. He is under protection as a federal witness but he has to be collected by the bondsmen and handed over to the FBI who are also in on the act. Everybody seems to eavesdrop, so four groups of killers decide they want to do the hit. As they converge on the hotel in Tahoe, there is a lot of mess and mayhem.
Ryan Reynolds has the opportunity of a better role than his witless and crass comedies (Van Wilder, Waiting) as an FBI agent. Ray Liotta is his partner and Andy Garcia his boss. The bondsmen are more than a bit inept and are played by Ben Affleck, Peter Berg and Martin Henderson. In the meantime, there is a vicious Neo Nazi kamikaze-like group of assassins, a black female couple, a master of disguise and a torture expert all converging on Aces (Jeremy Piven). Joel Edgerton has a different role as a dumb European bodyguard who is killed and a mask made of his face to disguise a killer so that Edgerton plays both characters.
Director Joe Carnahan (Narc) gave notice of his interests with his first film title: Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane.
It’s all smartly done with some panache – but it’s an ugly and violent world.
1. The title, the tone, Buddy Israle, Ace, his story, witness to the mob, target for killing? All the authorities and the thugs prepared to smoke him?
2. An American story, California, Lake Tahoe, the role of the FBI, the ex-police and bond bailsmen? Hired killers? International? The female killers? The Mafia? The three mad brothers?
3. The locations in Lake Tahoe, the resort, gambling, police protection? The musical score?
4. The tongue in cheek and comic aspects, action, dialogue? The complexities of the plot?
5. Buddy Israel, as a performer, Wayne Newton and the casinos? The patronage? The links with the Mafia? The later revelations about paternity, hospitals and blood link? Organs? In witness protection, the authorities, the FBI agents, in the hotel, his own staff, Hugo, slow? Buddy and his moods? Tantrums? Drugs? His becoming a victim?
6. The introduction to Messner and Carruthers? Surveillance, their chat, the background, watching, observing the killers? The knowledge of the case? The boss, the interviews and discussions, his keeping them in the dark? Missions, involvement, using their wits? Carruthers and his failure, his death in the elevator? Messner, his reaction, the clash with his boss, locking the door – and the final decisions and removing the life support?
7. The range of killers, the Swedish killer, killing Hugo, the mask, assuming his identity, the infiltration?
8. The former police, the trio, the conversations, the plan, the attack by the three mad brothers, the deaths, disposals of the body? Testing out whether one was still alive, the facial reactions? The one escaping – the confrontation, let go, shot from a distance? The personalities of the brothers, especially the youngest?
9. Hugo, with Buddy, slow, death, the mask?
10. The police officer, the past, undercover agent, the secrecy, the infiltration and its success, the consequences?
11. The boss, his assistant, the range of Mafia types?
12. The FBI chief and his dealings, plans, secrecy, his knowledge of the Mafia boss and the past?
13. The female killers, the discussions, being hired? The one going to action, the other with gun surveillance? The shootings?
14. Jason Bateman, the comic touch, eccentric character, money issues?
15. Audience immersed in this criminal world, amoral – with so many disposable characters?
