A burned out publicity agent (Pacino) also a druggie and alcoholic, he's trying to get out of the racket but can only keep hustling to keep things afloat. His best client, an actor who is trying to break into politics (Ryan O Neal) asks him to pick up an actress (Tea Leoni in an instant favorite role) at the police station for him. They decide to go out and party all night where in a hotel room he passes out right as he sees her raped and murdered. The next day, preparing for a big event that's supposed to jump start his career back, a series of events take place where he begins to realize what he may have witnessed the previous night but also that his life is in danger.
When you look up the term mixed reviews, it says see this movie. It surely could have used another run through development and suffers from continuity and character development problems. Yet somehow it pulls you in, has a bit of a hypnotic effect very much like the drugs it's character's take. That's reliant however on you rolling with the main characters from the get-go. The film also had the unfortunate luck of being held back a year due to 9/11. There were scenes that had the buildings in the background, subsequently removed.
Music by Spike Lee regular Terrance Blanchard gets a little overlooked in the mess as does Kim Basinger and Bill Nunn in key roles. Ryan O Neal didn't do a lot of features as time went on and it's nice to see him here as his charismatic and dapper self. He brings to this film very much what he did to Zero Effect four years prior. Tea Leoni is a total firecracker and her scenes bring what little electricity comes to this misfire before her character is killed off.
An indie that not surprisingly bombed at the box office. A mess for sure, but one that's somehow interesting to watch. Currently available VOD on Amazon or Vudu. Good one to throw on late at night. 3.0 stars/5
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