I wasn't exactly sure about the whole idea and concept behind this movie as I walked into it tonight, since all it took was a fifteen second glimpse of a TV trailer and the ambiguous claim about a case of mistaken identity that uncoiled my interest into full blown curiosity.I was floored and blown away by the movie and at the same time really proud of trusting my gut feeling about good flicks. I was thrown off many times by the black humor since I knew it wasn't a comedy as Slevin (Josh Hartnett) had what seemed like a really unlucky chain of events that have spiraled him into a big, hot mess. As he arrives in New York to meet up with an old school friend after being fired from work, cheated on by his girlfriend back home and mugged down the block, all he finds is an empty apartment and no sign of Nick, his old friend. He proceeds to shower and dress as unexpectedly the next door neighbor, Lucy Liu, drops by to borrow some sugar. They become quick friends with matching quirky personalities and from that point on things go from laughingly bad to worse.
Slevin is mistaken for Nick, who apparently owes money to two rivaling mafia type bosses who hate each other and he gets pulled into their personal war. This movie was so full of twists and turns that I forgot to eat my snacks and almost left my purse at the theater at the end. I recommend not reading too much about it and skipping long trailers because this beauty can be given away on a silver platter and to miss that feeling in the theater of realizing the true story would be a sin. I was really impressed by the actors in this movie and I think Josh who looks like a teen-movie type of an actor did a brilliant job! Bruce Willis is also quickly becoming one of my favorite actors, here as a slick top class assasin, I was impressed greatly!
I enjoyed the twisted suspense, murder mystery comic relief type of a story so much that I was unable to concentrate on my book on the way home. I couldn't read or think, all I was consumed by was the story. This movies is an odd-ball, eccentric, quirky, unconventional and refreshing cinematographic achievement. The line between good and bad guy was blurred consitantly and the story dug deeper and deeper into my curious brain. I'm really glad I got to see it on the big screen.
And last but not last let me tell you, the loud people in front of us who wear eatting and laughing quickly became mutes so sucked into the story that I forgot I was furious with them before. It kept everyone entertained and made them gasp at the right time and the hip music at the end really wrapped the whole thing together nicely.
As background to "now", the film flashes back a couple of decades to a fateful horse race. A young husband and father, privy to a tip about a horse doped for extra speed, takes out a foolishly big loan from a bookie and bets it all. His horse comes from behind, but then fails to finish in dramatic fashion. With no way for the loser to pay back the loan, the local Mob makes an example by brutally killing him, his wife, and his young son. Flash forward to "now".
Slevin (Josh Hartnett) arrives in New York to visit his friend Nick (Sam Jaeger). On his way to the latter's apartment, Slevin is mugged, his nose broken, and his wallet stolen. Arriving at Nick's place, Slevin finds it deserted and the door open, but decides to stay the night. The next day, Slevin is kidnapped, garbed only in a bath towel, from the apartment by two thugs and forced to meet with The Boss (Morgan Freeman) in his luxurious penthouse. The Boss believes Slevin to be Nick and claims the latter owes him $96K, but gives Slevin the option of eliminating the debt by killing the son of his archrival in crime, The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley), who lives in an identical penthouse immediately across the street. Unable to prove his real identity remember the stolen wallet Slevin has no choice but to agree to terms before returning to the apartment. Then, as if the day wasn't going bad enough, two of The Rabbi's goons kidnap Slevin and force him to meet with their employer, who, unaware of Slevin's shotgun arrangement with The Boss, claims that Nick owes him $32K. Both mobsters give Slevin three days to meet his obligation.
Slevin's life is further complicated by Lindsey (Lucy Liu), Nick's perky across-the-hall neighbor and NYC medical examiner, hard-boiled plainclothes cop Brikowski (Stanley Tucci), who has both The Boss and The Rabbi under surveillance from a dilapidated van who and wonders how Slevin enters the equation, and Mr. Goodkat (Bruce Willis), a mysterious paid assassin who's apparently working both sides of the street, so to speak.
LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN is a fiendishly clever, albeit bloody, masterpiece of misdirection and long-delayed justice with a completely unexpected plot twist. This is perhaps the first film of 2006 that contains Oscar-worthy performances Best Supporting Actor nominations for both Freeman and Kingsley.
The film, at times a very dark comedy, is given its lighter (and romantic) moments by the Lindsey character, whose presence on the screen is marked by a soundtrack turned quirky and playful, and her interaction with the vulnerable Slevin. As a couple, the two are enormously appealing.
Bruce Willis is in top form as the calm, dapper, efficient hit man working in the background to control the strings of his puppets, which apparently even include both The Boss and The Rabbi.
The cinematography, enhanced by uncluttered, modern and/or otherwise visually engaging sets, e.g. the first visit to the airport waiting room, the penthouse occupied by The Boss, and the hallway outside Nick's apartment, is inspired. Even the wallpaper in Lindsey's bedroom is eye-catching.
After a long work day followed by an evening meal, I'm likely to nod off even during a better-than-average film. LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN kept my eyes open and riveted to the Big Screen for its entire runtime.
Buy Lucky Number Slevin (2006) Now
After watching this movie over cable in HD I was glad to see it released on HD DVD.Warning: Possible Spoiler here! This is basically a payback story that has many twists in it that reminds me of a Hitchcock movie. Some mysteries are only good to watch once but this one has so much going on to try and trick you that multiple viewings are recommended.
The picture quality was outstanding with bright colors and deep blacks that was visably better than cable HD on my Hitachi 50" rear projection LCD as was the Dolby Digital Plus audio. No problems with playback or menu access either on my HD-A1 with 2.0 firmware. Highly Recommended!
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This title is a testament to the absolute beauty and superior quality of HD DVD. The richness of the formats color and depth of contrast lend itself perfectly to the story told in this film. With a flawless transfer, you can enjoy the film without distraction as if you were in your own private theater. As for the film, it is one of the most amazing films as of late. Reminiscent of The Usual Suspects in it's twists and turns. With the redemptive qualities of films such as Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill. I don't want to say too much about the film because it may just spoil it if you haven't yet seen it. Trust me when I say, don't rent this movie, buy it!Want Lucky Number Slevin (2006) Discount?
You don't want the kids to see this movie. It is very violent with a lot of killings. (Also a couple of short nude scenes.) The movie starts with a brutal killing with a big splatter of blood and guts on a car window. The movie makes no sense at all in the first few minutes, but as it proceeds all the loose ends are eventually tied up and it all makes perfect sense by the end. The ending (which I won't reveal) is somewhat a surprise, although you can kind of figure it out somewhat before it is fully revealed and perhaps early on. I don't usually like this type of movie, but it was interesting enough to keep me watching to see how the hero was going to get out of the serious predicament that he was in. The top cast keeps it interesting too, but probably not the best performances for any of them. Lucy Liu seemed a bit weak in her role and too predictably ends up in bed with the hero, but her performance is okay. A great rental for adults. Would you want to own it? Perhaps not because once the surprise ending is revealed it probably is not as interesting to watch again.Save 20% Off
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