(See also Five Great Unconventional Christmas Films.) It’s also good as a Christmas pick if your tastes run more to the Die Hards or the seasonal noirs of Shane Black ( Lethal Weapon, Long Kiss Goodnight, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), rather than saccharine family fare.
It’s great for spotting stars in the days just before (or after) their prime the cast includes Ben Affleck, Dennis Farina ( Saving Private Ryan), Isaac Hayes, Donal Logue ( Sunshine Sketches), Gary Sinise ( Quick and the Dead), Charlize Theron ( Young Adult), Gordon Tootoosis ( Legends of the Fall), Danny Trejo, and even Ashton Kutcher in a funny minor role. And so on.Īmongst the reasons to see it is that it’s a decent genre picture, a neo-noir heist with some interesting plot twists and turns. I was trying to find a reason to be generous, despite the wash of flaws. As I plotted this review - these posts don’t write themselves - I felt like I was doing an impression of Monty Python’s Spanish Inquisition. It has something for almost everyone, even if it’s just grist for nitpickery. This flick is not a great one, but it is enjoyable. Make no mistake, however, because I actually had a fun time with Reindeer Games, just as I have in the past, and just as I likely will again in the future. “You’re sending me into an Indian casino dressed as a cowboy? Have you thought this through entirely?”įair warning: I’m about to do a lot of what appears to be complaining.
