ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

PodBill Just what I expected

Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Geraldine The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

lathe-of-heaven Oh yes, this one is quite good. Very low key at first, but cleverly done. I'm impressed mainly because I usually do NOT like films from this period, unless they are all out Crime-Thriller / Grindhouse movies. Usually, during this time period the acting, and especially the writing is horribly dated, not to mention the extremely painful visual style of the time. BUT... I must admit that SOMEHOW this director had enough sense and forward vision to keep the aesthetics and tone of the actors and the film tightly engaging and powerfully gripping! I just watched a lovely HD print of the film and it looks VERY good, especially for it's age. The first few shots are kinda grainy and rough, but then the rest of the film looks great!I don't even usually care for Elliot Gould's super bland style, but his performance here really does suit his character and fits well with the overall theme and tone of the film.WAY more clever, tightly paced, believable, and MUCH, MUCH more satisfying than most films of this type made at this time. But, don't let the low key mood fool you; there are indeed some shocking jolts along the way. Christopher Plummer is quite a chilling and effective bad guy...If you like caper films and cat & mouse intrigue, you should very much enjoy this movie. But... Do NOT expect the 'OCEAN'S 11' type of playful style at all. Nor is it even like the edgier 'CONFIDENCE' No, no... This one is deadly serious. But, with just the slightest touch of jet black humour in one or two places.Most enjoyable and satisfying; highly recommended!

Jqn_Hgar the perfect thriller with top notch performances from Elliot Gould and Christopher Plummer as the villain, in fact he plays the kind of guys that you love to hate, so mean and sadistic but at the same time Sharp as a nail. on the other hand the screenplay was amazing giving interesting characters that you start to care about from the first time you see them, all in all this is one of the best thrillers i've seen in my whole life, i'm surprised that it didn't have the acclaim it deserves when it first came out and i think that is due to all the nudity and violence in it but if you're looking for an intense thriller in a cold dark rainy night this is the one for you.

mark.waltz If slowing down for bad car accidents is something of enjoyment (or curiosity), then this is worth watching. Unpleasant people doing unpleasant things in a beautiful surrounding (Toronto) and seeming to get away with it is the premise of this drama that stars the extremely busy Elliott Gould, the handsome Christopher Plummer, and the underrated Susannah York. Plummer, in a role that cries for his desire to escape "The Sound of Music", plays a Richard Widmark type role of the crazed bank robber who realizes after holding Gould up that somehow, he didn't get all of the bank's cash and is sure Gould got it, blaming him. He continues to harass Gould for weeks, even sending in a beautiful girl (Celine Lomez) to seduce him so she can let the imprisoned Plummer know where the stash is. But Gould is equally as clever as the evil Plummer, which impresses him even though Plummer obviously intends to kill him after he gets the cash back. York is one of the bank's managers, involved in an affair with her married boss who has feelings for Gould.The atmosphere of this film is set up instantly when Plummer is seen taking out his anger on a sexual conquest in the most vile way possible. Unlike the equally nefarious Hannibal Lector from "Silence of the Lambs", Plummers' psychopathic thief is never once charming. The film also presents several rather sadomasochistic sexual images, seemingly for no real reason other than to titillate its audience whom in 1978 required this sort of thing no matter what the plot of the movie was. (Only Disney obviously avoided this post production code trend.) If Plummer is freaky, then Gould is even freakier, ripping off the employers who seem to actually be good people to work for. York is lovely, but it is difficult to not confuse her with the equally beautiful and talented Julie Christie. John Candy is seen in a small role as one of the bank's other employees. The cameraman makes good use of the amazing Toronto scenery, most especially the huge Eaton's Center, one of the world's largest shopping malls I used to visit only a few years after this was filmed. But familiarity with the locale does not make for an enjoyable movie, and it was only as a film historian that I forced myself to watch the entire movie.SPOILER REGARDING FINALE BELOW: The sight of Plummer in drag (looking like Dustin Hoffman without glasses in "Tootsie") added a few chuckles in the films finale.

lost-in-limbo Another surprise package from the 70s (to add to Elliot Gould's 1974 feature "Busting"), in what isn't your typical suspense thriller. This little Canadian produced production is actually quite unconventional thanks to some glowing performances, deft plot turns and tautly handsome direction. A placid bank teller accidentally stumbles across some clues that a bank heist is going to occur, so he hatches up a plan to transfer the cash into a container just before it happens. For the teller things go to plan, until the thief realises that that he has been short changed and then he goes after the teller for the money. However a battle of wits occurs, as they try to out-smart each other in what becomes a twisty cat and mouse game. Watching these two characters trying to gain some sort of upper hand over each other is simply enthralling, as you're never quite sure how it's going to turn out. An ironic chain of events seem to occur and this helps keep the atmospheric tension right up there with its well-timed precision. While this is going on, it still takes time out to open up its characters for dramatic effect and it's believably done to match up with the sober-like manner. Elliot Gould might be discreet as the bank teller, but his performance is truly outstanding with complexities shining through. Christopher Plummer also chimes in with an understated performance, but still consists of unpleasantly creepy and psychotic shades. The interplay between the two simply crackled ("Feels like I know you every well") and this is what carries along the narrative. Across from them was the wonderful Susannah York and Celine Lomez was genuinely good. Also there was solid support by Michael Kirby, Ken Pogue and John Candy. Slow-winding and lean with some unpleasant moments, but a cleverly constructed thriller.