THE STICKUP
US, 2001, 94 minutes, Colour.
James Spader, Leslie Stefanson, David Keith, John Livingston.
Directed by Rowdy Herrington.
The Stickup starts as a routine chase film, a man fleeing with a bag of money pursued by the police. However, it ultimately turns out that no-one is as they seem and audiences are continually having to reassess what they saw and what they heard.
The film was written and directed by Rowdy Herrington who has a mixed career with such thrillers as Roadhouse and Striking Distance, murder mysteries like A Murder of Crows, social comment in Mexico like I Witness and a complete change of form with the very positive and inspiring golf film, Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius. He worked with James Spader in his first film, Jack’s Back, as well as I Witness and The Stickup.
James Spader had a long career on-screen, often in supporting roles but made a mark after 2000 on television with success and Emmy awards in The Practice and Boston Legal.
David Keith also had star days in such films as An Officer and a Gentleman but in later years made made-for-television or video thrillers.
The film is interesting – and grows more interesting as the complications emerge, so that by the end, the audience has to pay attention.
1.Interesting crime thriller? The opening, the car chase, the money on the seat of the car, the crashes, John Parker and his evading capture, the pursuing police and the accident?
2.The strength of the screenplay, the wit of the dialogue, the complications, audiences thinking that they have seen one thing while they have seen another, especially with the robbery, with John Parker in the church, the relationship with Natalie, the role of the local police, the Los Angeles police squad and Internal Affairs, the squad that John Parker belonged to – all building up to a final and violent confrontation?
3.The character of John Parker, James Spader’s screen presence and style? Seeing him in the car, the money, eluding the police, the crash, finding out that he was shot? In the church? The flashbacks, in the bar, his relationship with Natalie, spending the night with her, cleaning up the house, leaving early in the morning? His being accused of robbing the bank? In the hospital, her tending to his wounds, taking him home? His explaining that he was police? The flashback, the siege of the drug king in Los Angeles, the squad working together, the deaths? His partner praying for forgiveness? The impact of his death? The background of his wife leaving him? The Internal Affairs, the interrogation, his reactions, when asked about his partner’s sins? His walking out and disappearing? His confrontation with Ray, the irony of the revelation of the truth? The information about the TV surveillance, that he could not have been the bank robber? The FBI agent putting the scenario together? Ray and his attack on Natalie, taking her hostage? Going for the money, John Parker and his shrewdness, shooting through the floor, injuring Ray? The arrival of his fellow officers and their trying to kill him? His shrewdness in getting out of the house, the gunfire, saving Natalie? The FBI arriving? His being taken, interrogated, his being offered the chance to testify against corruption in the police force, his accepting it? The finale with him on the tropical beach with Natalie?
4.FBI agent Rick Kendall, young, referring to his work in the academy, going to ask the woman about the suitability of the agent, her reaction, the phone call? His going to be in charge? Audiences thinking he was going to be inept, his references to training, this being his first bank robbery? In fact, his shrewdness, identifying Parker, contacting the Los Angeles police, their collaboration, his getting the surveillance tape, his trying out the timing for Parker being able to disguise himself? His realisation of what had happened? The FBI agents coming, supervising him, his joking attitude towards them? The finale and the shoot-out, his achievement and promotion?
5.Natalie, the separation from Ray, in the bar, her drinking, picking up Parker, taking him home? Her untidy house? At work in the hospital, her story of living in the town, being born in the hospital, wanting to get out, asking for half the money? Tending the wounds? Going back to her home, the confrontation with Ray, the truth about what had happened? Her being taken hostage, Parker saving her, their pursuit in the woods? The happy ending?
6.Ray and his partner, the pursuit of Parker? The accident, the partner and his broken legs, Ray and his injuries? The sheriff being away on holidays? The discussions with the FBI agent? The antagonism towards Natalie? The gradual revelation that he was the robber, shooting Parker? The real nature of the pursuit? His taking Natalie hostage, wanting Parker to give him the money, Parker wounding him, his pursuit? His being arrested – and he and his partner in jail, the partner wondering whether people would know that they were police?
7.The Los Angeles flashbacks, the attack on the drug king, meticulously planned, the drug king driving into the house, the shootings, Mitchell’s death? The talk about sins? The flashback that he wanted to get out of the conspiracy work that they had done? Getting the drug money and the corruption, the equivalent of bribes? Lieutenant Marino and his being in the Internal Affairs interrogation, the other members of the group, Marino’s arrival in the town after his collaboration on the phone, the real reason, the others arriving, their wanting to kill John Parker before he testified? The siege of the house, the shoot-out?
8.How interesting the different twists? Appearances versus reality?
