Amazon.com

A little drunk on its own arcane exotica as a gambling movie, Rounders is a film that takes us inside a world of high-stakes card players but falls short on such essentials as character development, relationships, that sort of thing. Still, it is a real curiosity, written by a couple of guys (David Levien and Brian Koppelman) who appear to know something about the dark underbelly of card hustling for fun and profit. Matt Damon stars as a reluctant law student who can't put aside his subterranean career of playing poker and blackjack for big money. After he loses his post-grad nest egg to a weird Russian kingpin (John Malkovich)--and also loses his disgusted girlfriend (Gretchen Mol) in the process--Damon's character turns to an unreliable old buddy (Edward Norton) for a dangerous game of sharking wherever there happens to be a game underway: frat boys, cops, bad dudes, you name it. Norton appears to be living out every young actor's fantasy of re-creating Robert De Niro's prototypical head case in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets, and while his performance is burdened by obvious quotation marks, his estimable talent still shines through. Damon's charm and intelligence bring some oomph to the curiously flat proceedings, and while his hushed, soul-bearing scenes with Martin Landau (as a law professor who takes a shine to the kid) seem gratuitous, they're still nice to watch. Behind all this is director John Dahl (Red Rock West), who is not exactly at the top of his game here but who brings his distinctive toughness to the crime-noir tone. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (121)

Interesting look at the world of gambling...
"Rounders" is an intelligent movie, being more subtle than gratuitous or violent. It follows the trials and travails of a young law student, Michael McDermott, who 'rounds', gambles, for a living and to pay for law school. He loses his whole payroll one night, and decides to quit rounding. Nine months later he is sucked back into the world of rounding when his mischievous and altogether slimy friend Lester 'Worm' Murphy gets out of prison.
The story is very much about finding one's place in the world, as Michael must decide between rounding and the law for his career, and must wrestle with his own fear and doubts about his chosen profession. It also provides a very fun look at the world of gambling and a sort of quirky philosophy that Michael follows. And I learned a couple new ways to play poker!
The movie boasts a well-written script and well-executed directing, as well as solid performances from Matt Damon and Edward Norton, a superb performance by John Malkovich and a heartfelt performance by Martin Landau.
Highly recommended.

makes you want to play poker
Entertaining, believable, if slightly repetitive, behind the scenes look at the high-stakes game of New York underground poker through the eyes of one fresh-faced kid with a dream (surprise, it's Matt Damon!), and his brother-like friend, Worm, whose integrity for the game is essentially non-existent. This movie was never boring for me, was filmed in just the right amount of time, and did maintain an extreme air of authenticity throughout. Then again, I'm no card shark, so I would have no idea if even half the jargon used in the film was real anyway
the film did manage to show us everything you ever wanted to know about the game of poker and more (I don't remember seeing a better poker movie in my life, but then again, I don't remember seeing many poker movies in my life.), and a greater insight into the mind of an addict (Any type of addict, if you really think about it.) and the price one could pay for extreme loyalty. I would recommend this film to all those who love the game of poker, and are interested in exploring the life themes of addiction and loyalty. Other than that, the film offers little else in the romance and/or suspense factors,

This is the movie that will make you want to play poker
Ive been playing for about 5 years now and love the game. Ive read many poker books and found this one to be very good. So I would suggest you buy this book and maybe a couple others and get to playing. There's really no excuse anymore - since anyone can access the internet.

If you are a new poker player and would like to start playing poker online at www.partypoker.com - make sure you use the bonus code: "AMAZON25" and you will receive $25 free on your first purchase at www.PartyPoker.com. You can also use the Bonus Code "AMAZON100" and you will receive a 20% bonus up to $100! If you already play at PartyPoker, you can also play at www.Pokerroom.com. Use the promotion code "100BONUS" and you will receive 20% up to $100

Rounders One of my all time favorite poker movies
i was able to use this to make a good amount of money online at

PARTYPOKER.COM

use the following sign up codes:

100EXTRANOW for up to 100$ bonus on first deposit (20% bonus)
PP25EXTRA for $25 on First Deposit

(feel free to sign up and play with play money first)

This will make you want to play
This is the movie that will make you want to play poker

Ive been playing for about 5 years now and love the game. Ive read many poker books and found this one to be very good. So I would suggest you buy this book and maybe a couple others and get to playing. There's really no excuse anymore - since anyone can access the internet.

If you are a new poker player and would like to start playing poker online at www.partypoker.com - make sure you use the bonus code: "AMAZON25" and you will receive $25 free on your first purchase at www.PartyPoker.com. You can also use the Bonus Code "AMAZON100" and you will receive a 20% bonus up to $100! If you already play at PartyPoker, you can also play at www.Pokerroom.com. Use the promotion code "100BONUS" and you will receive 20% up to $100 ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Film noir in Technicolour
Fallen Angels 1 has three film noir -stories, each half an hour long, all created in the style of the 40's films. I got this because of Rickman (of course), but wasn't disappointed in any of the other stories either.

The first story stars Peter Gallagher as a conman/cardplayer, and reminds very much of the cheap detective stories my father had. In this world nobody really works, everybody cons, even the nice old sweet couple Gallagher meets in a train and tries to win their money. Wrong move, of course, he gets thrown out in the middle of a desert and later picked up by a car driven by a newly married couple: a man who is a Bible printer and his gorgeous wife, Isabella Rossellini, who nags and nags until than man stops the car and.... Gallagher in is the middle of another plot. Unrealistically beautiful and dangerous women, sadistic killers, organized crime - the lot. A real 40's B-movie in 30 minutes.

'Murder, obliquely' is why I wanted to see this. Laura Dern gets invited to meet a friend of her friends, Dwight (Rickman), and immediately knows, this is her first and final love. Though the man doesn't seem to be interested. They get interrupted by Rickman's lover, a well built redhead - and her new husband. In Rickman's mind the thing isn't over, so newlyweds exit after the woman has thrown all Rickman's gifts on his face. And a bit later they are again, apparently, lovers. Until Dern's innocent remark about a canceled concert breaks everything.

'Murder, obliquely', directed by Cuaron, is different from the two other ones. Everything really happens somewhere else. What we see and hear are Dern's narrative and a couple of people reacting to hints. They are always inside, in doorways, half letting someone in but still keeping them out. Very little is said but Dern's narrative. I've never really liked Dern, but this time she was good. And Rickman... There's again that odd mix of soft, slow sensuality, cunning, cold, calculating intellect and a touch of vulnerability and sincerity (which may be even real). One starts thinking: "OK, he's not young and handsome (though I must admit I find his profile intriguing), but he probably could charm you before you realized what is happening, and kill you without anybody noticing you are dead - and he'd probably have a very good and justified reason for doing it, damn it!" So you don't wonder Dern's choice in the end, though you yourself start speculating: what then? is he serious? is he planning something else? Dern's way of repeating: "My first and final love" leaves a whole lot of options. And to me it reminds the end of Francis Iles' novel 'Before the fact', which I've always liked very much. Yes, this is a good buy for a Rickman-fan, though it doesn't give that many minutes of him.

The third one is again a more active story, moving from city to city, from real live celebrities to the mob. Tim Matheson is Howard Hughes - an odd choice - and Gary Busey the guy, who works for him and Michael Cohen, hyperactivelly played by James Woods. Busey, too, is an odd choise for the guy who seems to have a decent heart somewhere, but everybody works rather fine.
The story moves around a blond bombshell, whom both Hughes and Cohen want to find. But she isn't what she appears to be, though she worked as a prostitute. All the marks of a Bogart-type movie are here; the cynical lead character, criminals, mobsters, dead men turning up from all sorts of places, a beautiful, elusive woman, wanted by many and yet seemingly capable to take care of herself and have her own, cunning plans.

Well, I liked these. I've always liked film noir and even with these modern actors (which sometimes make the stories come very close to a parody) and brilliant colours they were well made and amazingly loyal. I even liked the order, with calm, hinting 'Murder,obliquely' placed in between Bogart-style stories. A well deserved 4 stars. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Whew. Linda Fiorentino is like a home-grown apocalyptic nightmare as the sizzling, sexy dame who thinks "sharing" is a dirty word. Fiorentino, a master of the double-cross, hooks up with naive Peter Berg, a nice guy desperate for a little adventure. There are endless twists to this cleverly vicious story, but the real draw is Fiorentino, whose performance is brilliant. She is the Everywoman you never want to meet: cool as ice, passionate, tough, self-satisfied, smart, and amoral. Bill Pullman is a surprise as a Machiavellian doctor who is almost her match. Definitely not a date flick, as this represents one vicious battle in the sexual wars. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Linda Fiorentino is the ultimate b***h goddess!
Linda Fiorentino gives the performance of her career in "The Last Seduction" playing Bridget Gregory, who is the most ruthless, callous, mean, greedy and fascinating woman possibly ever seen on screen. In the beginning of the film, Bridget gets her doctor husband (Bill Pullman) to make a pharmaceautical drug deal for almost a million dollars, after which she takes off with the cash leaving her husband pennilness. Then she temporarily locates to a small town, where she begins to manipulate a pathetic smalltown buffoon (Peter Berg, who she also treats as a human vibrator) into killing her husband. Linda Fiorentino is just such a blast playing Bridget that instead of hating her, you root for her. As rotten to the core as she is, you cheer as she constantly manipulates and destroys the hapless men around her, and emerges victorious. This movie is great to watch whenever you're in a bad mood ... it always cheers me up.

I am not a fan of the man-killer genre.
The whole business of the smart woman who knows how to use sex to make men stupid just doesn't really wash for me. BODY HEAT, BASIC INSTINCT, ROMEO IS BLEEDING, and this one. Each plays in its own way on the idea that estrogen makes women smart while testosterone makes men stupid enough to override their survival instinct.

I dunno...maybe this is true for a lot of guys, but it ain't true for me. I don't find myself huffing and puffing at the sultry sexuality that these women bring to the screen.

That said, this was one of the better examples of that genre that I've seen--an incredible performance from Linda Fiorentino (whom I've had an eye on since VISION QUEST--why isn't this woman a star?), a cutting script, appropriately moody direction, editing and cinematography...this should have been a perfect movie. Maybe it's a perfect specimen of this sort of movie and my own dislike for the genre is what keeps me from seeing that.

All I know is that when the story came to its shock ending...nothing. No resolution for me...no sense of justice...no horror at the turn of events. It just didn't play true for me because, while I've seen (and experienced) many of the stupid things that men have done for sex, I really don't believe that an erection could make a man--even a slow-witted one--THAT stupid.

Dark thriller, best of it's kind
this is one of the darkest erotic movies i've ever seen, a clever one too, sex scenes are a bit too fake, the plot is stong and achieved it's key and star cast Linda, Bill Pullman and Peter Berg are amazing. 8/10.

Not Impressed
Linda Fiorentino's portrayal of a cold, calculating sexual predator was lackluster, and unconvincing at best....as was the plot. Peter Berg carried off his role and was the only reason I continued to watch. Though mentioned on an episode of Sex & the City, for a hot sex scene, I found it dull. This movie was a disappointment.

FemmeFatale to end them all....
This movie could be harmful to your health if you are fascinated by bad women, there have been other femme-fatales,Davis, , Stanwyck,Turner, Stone, Theresa Russell, Barrymore, but Fiorentino defeats them all as ruthlessly as Kroy defeats her opponents in 'last seduction': it wasnt termed a filme-noir legend for nothing, Fiorentino is ably supported by Berg, Pullman and others, but no taking credit from her, they couldnt have done it without her....but for the HBO telemovie release,Fiorentino would have gotten Oscar or Golden globe and be a household-name top-rung star.....tantalisingly, some of Bridgets attitudes in certain areas are shared by Fiorentino, apparently.... ... Read more

Reviews (6)

MEMORABLE
Once you get past the implausibility of the plot (mainly that the drug culled from Cerebral spinal fluid could do what occurs in this movie), you have a nervewrackingly good thriller. Ray Liotta, one of our most underappreciated actors, stars as a medical examiner who was cleared of murdering his wife by a technicality. In investigating a horrifying killing spree at a pharmacy, Ray thinks the killer is the same one who murdered his wife. He goes out on a date and meets Linda Fiorentino (quite good in a laconic way), who has developed a serum which allows memory transfer between rats. But, it is dangerous, and has not been tried on humans. Liotta is so empassioned with finding his wife's murderer, he steals the drug and uses it, and it does work, but without damage to his heart. From heron, Liotta finds out that Kim Coates (as a seedy drug dealer) is the one who did the pharmacy killing, and in flashbacks, he sees Coates attacking his wife. But, is he the true culprit? Many surprising plot twists evolve, and it is a great film. Featured are Peter Coyote, as Liotta's friend, a police detective; "Sex and the City's" Kim Cattrall has a small role as Liotta's sister in law who has custody of his girls; David Paymer plays Liotta's friend and partner; and Christopher McDonald is a seedy, sleazy cop who thinks Liotta did kill the wife.
John Dahl directs with assuredness and the rainy Seattle setting is perfect.
An unknown gem.

FIRST RATE THRILLER
John Dahl should smash the box-office one of these days because he truely deserves it. Unforgettable is his best work effort, a gripping suspensefiul script supported by an excellent cast and a director who knows how to keep you on the edge of your sofa. The Dolby Digital track is very dynamic and does justice to Christopher Young's remarkable score. This widescreen edition is not anamorphic, as marked on the back cover, but the image is sharp.

It's finally on DVD!
I've been waiting for this movie to come out on DVD since I first got a DVD player about three years ago. Ray Liotta gives an excellent performance as a man falsely accused of murder trying to find his wife's killer. The plot is very interesting and original and presented so that it is believable and intense. Definitely a must-have.

effectively moody
surprisingly well executed and acting was expecte

Malton is a disgrace!
A more inntense thriller/suspense movie is hard to find ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Linda Fiorentino is the ultimate b***h goddess!
Linda Fiorentino gives the performance of her career in "The Last Seduction" playing Bridget Gregory, who is the most ruthless, callous, mean, greedy and fascinating woman possibly ever seen on screen. In the beginning of the film, Bridget gets her doctor husband (Bill Pullman) to make a pharmaceautical drug deal for almost a million dollars, after which she takes off with the cash leaving her husband pennilness. Then she temporarily locates to a small town, where she begins to manipulate a pathetic smalltown buffoon (Peter Berg, who she also treats as a human vibrator) into killing her husband. Linda Fiorentino is just such a blast playing Bridget that instead of hating her, you root for her. As rotten to the core as she is, you cheer as she constantly manipulates and destroys the hapless men around her, and emerges victorious. This movie is great to watch whenever you're in a bad mood ... it always cheers me up.

I am not a fan of the man-killer genre.
The whole business of the smart woman who knows how to use sex to make men stupid just doesn't really wash for me. BODY HEAT, BASIC INSTINCT, ROMEO IS BLEEDING, and this one. Each plays in its own way on the idea that estrogen makes women smart while testosterone makes men stupid enough to override their survival instinct.

I dunno...maybe this is true for a lot of guys, but it ain't true for me. I don't find myself huffing and puffing at the sultry sexuality that these women bring to the screen.

That said, this was one of the better examples of that genre that I've seen--an incredible performance from Linda Fiorentino (whom I've had an eye on since VISION QUEST--why isn't this woman a star?), a cutting script, appropriately moody direction, editing and cinematography...this should have been a perfect movie. Maybe it's a perfect specimen of this sort of movie and my own dislike for the genre is what keeps me from seeing that.

All I know is that when the story came to its shock ending...nothing. No resolution for me...no sense of justice...no horror at the turn of events. It just didn't play true for me because, while I've seen (and experienced) many of the stupid things that men have done for sex, I really don't believe that an erection could make a man--even a slow-witted one--THAT stupid.

Dark thriller, best of it's kind
this is one of the darkest erotic movies i've ever seen, a clever one too, sex scenes are a bit too fake, the plot is stong and achieved it's key and star cast Linda, Bill Pullman and Peter Berg are amazing. 8/10.

Not Impressed
Linda Fiorentino's portrayal of a cold, calculating sexual predator was lackluster, and unconvincing at best....as was the plot. Peter Berg carried off his role and was the only reason I continued to watch. Though mentioned on an episode of Sex & the City, for a hot sex scene, I found it dull. This movie was a disappointment.

FemmeFatale to end them all....
This movie could be harmful to your health if you are fascinated by bad women, there have been other femme-fatales,Davis, , Stanwyck,Turner, Stone, Theresa Russell, Barrymore, but Fiorentino defeats them all as ruthlessly as Kroy defeats her opponents in 'last seduction': it wasnt termed a filme-noir legend for nothing, Fiorentino is ably supported by Berg, Pullman and others, but no taking credit from her, they couldnt have done it without her....but for the HBO telemovie release,Fiorentino would have gotten Oscar or Golden globe and be a household-name top-rung star.....tantalisingly, some of Bridgets attitudes in certain areas are shared by Fiorentino, apparently.... ... Read more

Reviews (216)

ROAD KILL
Directed by John Dahl, previously best known for Red Rock West and The Last Seduction (the movie that launched Linda Fiorentino's career), the ironically titled Joy ride is very much a homage to the seventies Spielberg movie Duel but rather than being just a cheap rip-off Joy Ride is in fact a very entertaining, genuinely scary edge of the seat ride, which proves that you don't need a big budget to make great movies.

THE PLOT: The film's instantly likeable hero, Lewis, played by Paul Walker (The Fast and The Furious) a scholarship student at Berkeley, buys a battered 1971 car so he can pick up Venna (Leelee Sobieski), who he has a major crush for, from the University of Colorado and drive her to the East Coast for summer vacation. However, on the way he unexpectedly has to pick up his irresponsible older brother Fuller (the always excellent Steve Zahn) who's in a Salt Lake City jail on a drunk-and-disorderly charge. During the journey Fuller buys a cheap CB radio and involves Lewis in an unpleasant practical joke at the expense of a truck driver with the CB handle 'Rusty Nail' but they find themselves in fear for their lives when old Rusty turns out to be a psychopath who takes a violent dislike to them. From then on, they themselves become the objects of the unseen Rusty Nail's revenge. After several hair-raising encounters, they resolve not to tell Venna of their adventures when they pick her up at the clean, well-lit Colorado campus.

It would be easy to criticise Joy Ride (known as Road kill in the UK). Its premise is hardly original and its reliance on a CB radio as a plot device harks back to the seventies, rather than the present day when everybody (except in this movie) has a cell phone. However, Joy Ride is actually a stunning success due to its faultless direction, which creates Hitchcock like suspense and provides many heart stopping moments. The script is excellent too combining and balancing humour and horror in equal measures, often hinting at violence that is not actually seen and providing nervous moments of humour whilst avoiding corniness. As for the three leads they are perfectly cast with Paul Walker, minus the blonde beach boy locks he sported in The Fast and the Furious, making a good fist of the part of the boy from the wrong side of the tracks in love with the girl from the right side of the tracks played by the equally impressive Leelee Sobieski (Deep Impact). Steve Zahn (Out of Sight) as the misfit brother Fuller is also excellent and he steals many of the scenes with witty one-liners but ultimately this is a movie whose strength lies in the sum of all its parts. Cheaply made it shows that its not big budgets that make great movies its talent and imagination. Here's hoping there's a sequel! Four stars, well merited. ****

Develop a Phobia for Big, Black Trucks and Roadside Motels..
This is a brilliantly directed and scripted, 5-star thriller. The casting of the 3 leads - Steve Zahn, Paul Walker and Leelee Sobieski is perfect as they deliver wonderful performances and share great screen chemistry.

I can't remember the last time I had so much "fun" at the cinema. The suspense in "Joy Ride" is taut and heart-pounding while the laugh moments are also plentiful. The movie's about the danger that 2 brothers, Fuller (Zahn) and Lewis (Walker) get themselves into after their "seemingly" harmless prank on their car's CB radio goes horribly wrong when their "victim", a truck driver (who calls himself "Rusty Nail"), decides to get even with them. Watching this movie was great fun! Loud LAUGHS from the cinema audience during the funny scenes and SCREAMS from the female (mainly) audience during the "scary" moments testify to how effective the movie is. To me, one of the most hilarious scenes is the one where Fuller goes to the rescue of Venna (played by Sobieski) who is being harassed by a bunch of men in a motel bar.

The villain, "Rusty Nail" has the scariest voice! Listening to him talk on the CB radio ("Candy Cane... I'm looking for Candy Cane...") is enough to send a chill down your spine. You'll have to watch the movie to know whether he does show his face or not in the end.

This movie ends with a "delicious" twist.... to pave the way for a "Joy Ride 2", maybe?

I don't know if this type of movie is termed "black comedy" but trust me, the laughs and thrills are first-rate all the way. Just fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the Joy Ride!

Just ok
Since Paul Walker was in it(and I hate his annoying voice and wooden acting) I was expecting this to be a total disaster. To my surprise it wasn't as terrible as I anticipated. Although if you ask me whether it was a good movie, the answer would be no. Paul(and his baby blue eyes) goes on the road trip along with his dimwitted jailbird of a brother and hot(in producer's opinion) chick that he wants desperately. On the way, they decide to play a joke on some trucker who gets pissed off and starts stalking them. Somehow this trucker(whose face we never see) knows everything about them and he appears at the most unexpected moments. Instead of going to the cops, like any normal people, the characters spend the movie trying to run away and outwit this fathom. I thought it was supposed to be suspense thriller but this is definitely "Friday 13th" kind of movie(and I'm not found of those). Paul Walker didn't stink as badly as he did in the "Fast and the Furious", but this LeeLee Sobievski who was playing the "hot" chick is one bad actress(and skanky looking one at that. I suspect the producers had the beer goggles on when she was selected for this role). However, if you compare this film with some of the other crap I've been watching lately, this can almost be called a masterpiece

bad ending
This movie is pretty suspenseful, but the last thirty seconds might just be the worst ending in cinima history, or maybe rusty nail has a clone.

I'm not your Candycane!
This was one suspenseful movie! Two of my friends sat me down to watch this one, and I was very happy with it.

The plot has been summarized before, so I will avoid that. This movie is very much a tale of suspense that you will keep thinking about for days. Paul Walker and Steve Zahn do really well in this film, but I'm not crazy about Leelee Sobieski. I've seen her in other films, and her acting is the same in all of them, lukewarm.

The first half of the movie is really good and you can really get into it, then Leelee's character is introduced and it starts to drag. This is a good movie to watch with a bunch of friends sitting there yelling at the screen.

The alternate endings are also very fabulous. Check them out if you haven't seen them yet. ... Read more

Description

Academy Award(R)-winner Matt Damon (GOOD WILL HUNTING, THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE) and Edward Norton (THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT, KEEPING THE FAITH) lead a critically acclaimed cast in this story of passion, risk, and the extreme price of friendship! Dealt a painful lesson when he blows his hard-earned savings in a high-stakes, underground card club, master poker player Mike (Damon) thinks he's played his final hand when he gives up gambling for law school and a fresh start with his beautiful girlfriend (Gretchen Mol -- CRADLE WILL ROCK). But then, his best buddy (Norton) gets out of prison and in over his head with a ruthless Russian card shark (John Malkovich -- IN THE LINE OF FIRE, CON AIR). From there, Mike's strong sense of loyalty and the irresistible lure of the game draw him back to the tables in a do-or-die bid to rescue his friend! In this riveting motion picture also featuring John Turturro (THE TRUCE, O BROTHER, WHERE ARE THOU?) and Martin Landau (ED WOOD), Mike ultimately finds himself forced to wager his very future in a game he cannot afford to lose! ... Read more

Reviews (121)

Interesting look at the world of gambling...
"Rounders" is an intelligent movie, being more subtle than gratuitous or violent. It follows the trials and travails of a young law student, Michael McDermott, who 'rounds', gambles, for a living and to pay for law school. He loses his whole payroll one night, and decides to quit rounding. Nine months later he is sucked back into the world of rounding when his mischievous and altogether slimy friend Lester 'Worm' Murphy gets out of prison.
The story is very much about finding one's place in the world, as Michael must decide between rounding and the law for his career, and must wrestle with his own fear and doubts about his chosen profession. It also provides a very fun look at the world of gambling and a sort of quirky philosophy that Michael follows. And I learned a couple new ways to play poker!
The movie boasts a well-written script and well-executed directing, as well as solid performances from Matt Damon and Edward Norton, a superb performance by John Malkovich and a heartfelt performance by Martin Landau.
Highly recommended.

makes you want to play poker
Entertaining, believable, if slightly repetitive, behind the scenes look at the high-stakes game of New York underground poker through the eyes of one fresh-faced kid with a dream (surprise, it's Matt Damon!), and his brother-like friend, Worm, whose integrity for the game is essentially non-existent. This movie was never boring for me, was filmed in just the right amount of time, and did maintain an extreme air of authenticity throughout. Then again, I'm no card shark, so I would have no idea if even half the jargon used in the film was real anyway
the film did manage to show us everything you ever wanted to know about the game of poker and more (I don't remember seeing a better poker movie in my life, but then again, I don't remember seeing many poker movies in my life.), and a greater insight into the mind of an addict (Any type of addict, if you really think about it.) and the price one could pay for extreme loyalty. I would recommend this film to all those who love the game of poker, and are interested in exploring the life themes of addiction and loyalty. Other than that, the film offers little else in the romance and/or suspense factors,

This is the movie that will make you want to play poker
Ive been playing for about 5 years now and love the game. Ive read many poker books and found this one to be very good. So I would suggest you buy this book and maybe a couple others and get to playing. There's really no excuse anymore - since anyone can access the internet.

If you are a new poker player and would like to start playing poker online at www.partypoker.com - make sure you use the bonus code: "AMAZON25" and you will receive $25 free on your first purchase at www.PartyPoker.com. You can also use the Bonus Code "AMAZON100" and you will receive a 20% bonus up to $100! If you already play at PartyPoker, you can also play at www.Pokerroom.com. Use the promotion code "100BONUS" and you will receive 20% up to $100

Rounders One of my all time favorite poker movies
i was able to use this to make a good amount of money online at

PARTYPOKER.COM

use the following sign up codes:

100EXTRANOW for up to 100$ bonus on first deposit (20% bonus)
PP25EXTRA for $25 on First Deposit

(feel free to sign up and play with play money first)

This will make you want to play
This is the movie that will make you want to play poker

Ive been playing for about 5 years now and love the game. Ive read many poker books and found this one to be very good. So I would suggest you buy this book and maybe a couple others and get to playing. There's really no excuse anymore - since anyone can access the internet.

If you are a new poker player and would like to start playing poker online at www.partypoker.com - make sure you use the bonus code: "AMAZON25" and you will receive $25 free on your first purchase at www.PartyPoker.com. You can also use the Bonus Code "AMAZON100" and you will receive a 20% bonus up to $100! If you already play at PartyPoker, you can also play at www.Pokerroom.com. Use the promotion code "100BONUS" and you will receive 20% up to $100 ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Unsung Film Noir Classic
It is a shame, in my opinion, that this movie never got enough attention when it was released. I consider it a fine example of film noir and possibly the best film noir movie to appear in the nineties. If you like well paced detective movies you will love this film. Joane Whalley-Kilmer plays one of the best evil women I have seen in some time. You gotta love to hate her in this movie.

Sunlit Noir
40's style noir played against sunny Nevada desert and vicious gambling dens. Val Kilmer is too boyish to bring off the classic role of private eye, but at least he doesn't try to act tough while being slapped around or thrown like a rag doll over a series of chairs and tables. In fact his Jack Andrews gets pushed around by almost everyone in what amounts to one of the most feckless of all movie private eyes. His every move seems to either flop or backfire. He's seldom in charge of any encounter, and in that important regard, the movie stands as a genuine oddity to the genre. Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, looking like a trampy Natalie Wood, is reasonably convincing as the femme fatale, squealing delightedly whenever she's roughed up; while villainous Michael Madsen, looking like Elvis's spooky older brother, steals the show with a series of scary outbursts that are totally convincing. Despite the negative review, there're enough twists and turns to keep viewers guessing. And while Kill Me Again is no classic of noir filmmaking, it does stand as a reasonably successful low-budget entry.

Spectcular twisty turny edge of your seat suspense
I loved it and have watched it again and aagain
each time i enjoy it more
excellent from start to finish

"Guess we won't be going to Maine after all"
Brett Johnson's review of this movie is about right. I rate it much higher though. Even though this show follows many other formulas, for the type of show it is I think it's at about the top of its class. At least it's a movie I want to keep and watch from time to time. I can't say that about alot of the shows I've bought. The ending isn't that good but most movies don't come up with good endings. Michael Madsen is his usual cruel self (as in "Reservoir Dogs") and is even raunchier. Val Kilmer plays many different parts well. Maybe he isn't so believable as a private "I" but still, for the kind of show it is I give it a thumbs up.

Boring neo-noir thriller.
"Kill Me Again" has nothing new to offer the experienced viewer of this genre of film. It has the male/female duo of criminals on the run. It has the so-called "good guy" who falls for the femme fatale. It has its share of uncomfortable violence. And of course, let us not forget the twist, twist, double twist ending.

There used to be a time when a movie watcher could actually be surprised by one of those kinds of endings. In fact, if the ending is original enough, they still work in some situations. Alas...this movie does not contain one of those inspiredly creative conclusions.

Michael Madsen and Joanne Whalley are the criminals Vince and Fay. Val Kilmer is the down on his luck private investigator who crosses paths with Fay. She has double crossed Vince and she wants the private investigator to fake her death. The reason? So that Vince will think she is dead and stop looking for her. If only it were that easy.

Fay does something so stupid that I am still shaking my head over it. She decides that it would be a good idea to shaft the private eye and skip town before he got paid in full. I know this next part is gonna be a real shocker. Yeah...right. The private eye tracks Fay down and wants the rest of his money. Who would've figured that a private investigator would be good at finding someone?

Anyway, the movie tries to impress the viewer by making you guess who is backstabbing who. Sadly, the three main characters are such jerks that you don't even care who ends up getting killed and who gets away. I would recommend watching "The Last Seduction" if you are interested in watching a John Dahl flick. This one is really weak. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With Red Rock West and The Last Seduction, writer-director John Dahl established himself as America's leading maker of tough, twisted, funny little neo-noir pictures. Red Rock West is a spare, tight reworking of noirish motifs--the lone man caught in a web of circumstance and betrayal, the rich femme fatale, the corrupt policeman, the wounded military veteran, the homicidal psychopath--that brings to mind classics from Detour to Out of the Past to Bad Day at Black Rock. Cage--warming up for his career-peak (so far) performance in Leaving Las Vegas a few years later--plays an unemployed former Marine (his leg injured in the truck-bombing of the base in Beirut) who stumbles into a nightmarish situation when he stops at a bar in the isolated Wyoming town of Red Rock West. With one fateful step, he's trapped; and no matter how hard he tries, he just can't seem to leave town. The late J.T. Walsh is (as always) splendidly corrupt as the bar owner who harbors some deadly secrets, and Dennis Hopper does a variation on his patented Blue Velvet/River's Edge psycho that suits the treacherous environs of Red Rock West just fine. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Don't miss this one too.....
I hadn't heard much about this film, nothing in fact, when I stumbled across it in the video store. I was pleased to discover a taut little noir picture about a down-and-out ex-marine (Nicolas Cage) looking for employment in the wrong town. What ensues is a winding story involving murder for hire and a femme fatale. Cage and Boyle put in solid performances and Hopper is vaguely creepy as usual. I liked the pacing of this movie; it kept up the tension without overdoing it. With crazy twists and some laughs it kept me interested the whole time despite being occasionally formulaic. Too bad this movie was overlooked by the public, I advise you not to make the same mistake.

Film Noir, yes, but with a new dimension
Yes, this is Film Noir, but it's a new step in Film Noir evolution....and not just because it's funny! Cage's character does get into hot water because of one tiny slide into temptation. When he's mistaken for a hired killer, his desperation for money gets the better of him. But he's just too nice to do the job. As he goes deeper into the muck, he has three choices: give in & be corrupted...or walk away & leave these nut-cases to their own dysfunctional devices. Even that wouldn't be enough, though: he's determined to go with the third choice: stay in the game & Make The World a Better Place.

Cage can pull it off. His essential goodness seems very real, and the befuddled expression on his face, when confronted by the greed of the other characters, is hilarious. The movie has enough action, but it's really a well-crafted balance of thriller and fable.

A Nice Dose of Murderous Double Crossing
A basically decent drifter (Nicolas Cage) lands in the tiny town of Red Rock, Wyoming, looking for work. When he stops in the bar, the bar owner (J. T. Walsh) asks why he took so long and asks him to step in the back office so they can discuss the job. Cage plays along, then discovers the work is to kill the bar owner's wife. He takes the money, drives out to the ranch to warn the wife (Laura Flynn Boyle), and starts to leave town. Problems arise and he returns to town in time to witness the real hit man (Dennis Hopper) arrive. Things go downhill for the Cage character after that.

This is an excellent, convoluted, well-acted and offbeat mystery. Funny, too. Cage never knows what's happening, but everybody else assumes he does. Dennis Hopper again plays a charming semi-psycho but he hadn't patented the style yet so it seems fresh. J. T. Walsh was a great character actor who died young. He's outstanding as the bar owner...who also happens to be the sheriff. He has one or two other secrets as well. And if Boyle doesn't rev your engine, you may need a tune up. She's more ruthless than the lot of them.

The DVD transfer is clean and clear.

Twists, twists, and more twists.
Nicolas Cage stars as Michael,an unemployed Texas roughneck desperate enough to drive all the way to Wyoming for a potential job. He is honest to a fault but always seems to be on the dark side of fate.
After failing to obtain gainful employment he stumbles into the Red Rock Bar, where the owner Wayne (J.T.Walsh), mistakes him for a heretofor unseen contract killer he hired to do in his lovely, but lethal wife Suzanne (Lara Flynn Boyle).
Wayne gives Michael the necessary details and a down payment for the hit on the adulterous Suzie. With no intent on killing, Michael takes the money and warns Suzanne about her impending demise. He also writes a letter to the local sheriff exposing the plot and splits town.
As fate would dictate, Michael is involved in an accident in which he runs down Suzannes lover during a heavy rainstorm. He takes him to the hospital where it's discovered that he's also been shot. The sheriff is summoned and of course to Michaels misfortune, Wayne is also the local law. Michael escapes while being taken on that last ride and is subsequently picked up by the real killer,"Lyle From Dallas" (Dennis Hopper) who plays the role with murderous glee.
After discovering that both he and Michael are former marines, Lyle insists on buying him a drink at, where else, The Red Rock Bar. It is there that Wayne realizes his mistake and soon he and Lyle are in hot pursuit of Michael who willingly falls into Suzannes waiting arms.
The duo are now both on the run and as the plot develops we learn that Wayne and Suzanne are actually also on the lam with 1.9 million stolen dollars which now becomes the central focus of the film.
The casting in this movie is excellent, with the actors blending well with their assigned roles, especially Dennis Hopper.
Marc Reshovsky's photography was superb, utilizing many unique angles which added to the suspense and plot development. The fim's also enhanced by director John Dahl's tight style and Scott Chestnuts rapidfire editing.

Just GO, man!
I've watched this marvelous noir movie, oh, maybe 4 times, and my response is always the same. Nicholas Cage has yet another opportunity to just get the hell our of Red Rock, and you can see the conflict and indecision and inevitability play across his face, and you just want to shout at him, 'GO, man, just GO!'
But of course, if he did, there wouldn't be a movie, and it's such a good one that it would really be a shame to have it not exist.
Cage plays a down and out ex-Marine who literally stumbles into Red Rock West, Wyoming. For his sake, you wish it could have been maybe Red Rock East, or Laramie, or Cheyenne - anyplace other than Red Rock West...but no. It's in Red Rock West that he finds himself caught in a web of betrayal that begins with a case of mistaken identity and goes from silly to confusing to scary to terrifying in the space of about 20 minutes. There's a femme fatale, a psychopath (spectacularly played by Dennis Hooper), money, power, treachery, and ruthlessness at play here. Cage is trapped but good, and no matter how hard he tried, he just can't seem to leave town.
Bravo, bravo. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Unsung Film Noir Classic
It is a shame, in my opinion, that this movie never got enough attention when it was released. I consider it a fine example of film noir and possibly the best film noir movie to appear in the nineties. If you like well paced detective movies you will love this film. Joane Whalley-Kilmer plays one of the best evil women I have seen in some time. You gotta love to hate her in this movie.

Sunlit Noir
40's style noir played against sunny Nevada desert and vicious gambling dens. Val Kilmer is too boyish to bring off the classic role of private eye, but at least he doesn't try to act tough while being slapped around or thrown like a rag doll over a series of chairs and tables. In fact his Jack Andrews gets pushed around by almost everyone in what amounts to one of the most feckless of all movie private eyes. His every move seems to either flop or backfire. He's seldom in charge of any encounter, and in that important regard, the movie stands as a genuine oddity to the genre. Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, looking like a trampy Natalie Wood, is reasonably convincing as the femme fatale, squealing delightedly whenever she's roughed up; while villainous Michael Madsen, looking like Elvis's spooky older brother, steals the show with a series of scary outbursts that are totally convincing. Despite the negative review, there're enough twists and turns to keep viewers guessing. And while Kill Me Again is no classic of noir filmmaking, it does stand as a reasonably successful low-budget entry.

Spectcular twisty turny edge of your seat suspense
I loved it and have watched it again and aagain
each time i enjoy it more
excellent from start to finish

"Guess we won't be going to Maine after all"
Brett Johnson's review of this movie is about right. I rate it much higher though. Even though this show follows many other formulas, for the type of show it is I think it's at about the top of its class. At least it's a movie I want to keep and watch from time to time. I can't say that about alot of the shows I've bought. The ending isn't that good but most movies don't come up with good endings. Michael Madsen is his usual cruel self (as in "Reservoir Dogs") and is even raunchier. Val Kilmer plays many different parts well. Maybe he isn't so believable as a private "I" but still, for the kind of show it is I give it a thumbs up.

Boring neo-noir thriller.
"Kill Me Again" has nothing new to offer the experienced viewer of this genre of film. It has the male/female duo of criminals on the run. It has the so-called "good guy" who falls for the femme fatale. It has its share of uncomfortable violence. And of course, let us not forget the twist, twist, double twist ending.

There used to be a time when a movie watcher could actually be surprised by one of those kinds of endings. In fact, if the ending is original enough, they still work in some situations. Alas...this movie does not contain one of those inspiredly creative conclusions.

Michael Madsen and Joanne Whalley are the criminals Vince and Fay. Val Kilmer is the down on his luck private investigator who crosses paths with Fay. She has double crossed Vince and she wants the private investigator to fake her death. The reason? So that Vince will think she is dead and stop looking for her. If only it were that easy.

Fay does something so stupid that I am still shaking my head over it. She decides that it would be a good idea to shaft the private eye and skip town before he got paid in full. I know this next part is gonna be a real shocker. Yeah...right. The private eye tracks Fay down and wants the rest of his money. Who would've figured that a private investigator would be good at finding someone?

Anyway, the movie tries to impress the viewer by making you guess who is backstabbing who. Sadly, the three main characters are such jerks that you don't even care who ends up getting killed and who gets away. I would recommend watching "The Last Seduction" if you are interested in watching a John Dahl flick. This one is really weak. ... Read more

Reviews (216)

ROAD KILL
Directed by John Dahl, previously best known for Red Rock West and The Last Seduction (the movie that launched Linda Fiorentino's career), the ironically titled Joy ride is very much a homage to the seventies Spielberg movie Duel but rather than being just a cheap rip-off Joy Ride is in fact a very entertaining, genuinely scary edge of the seat ride, which proves that you don't need a big budget to make great movies.

THE PLOT: The film's instantly likeable hero, Lewis, played by Paul Walker (The Fast and The Furious) a scholarship student at Berkeley, buys a battered 1971 car so he can pick up Venna (Leelee Sobieski), who he has a major crush for, from the University of Colorado and drive her to the East Coast for summer vacation. However, on the way he unexpectedly has to pick up his irresponsible older brother Fuller (the always excellent Steve Zahn) who's in a Salt Lake City jail on a drunk-and-disorderly charge. During the journey Fuller buys a cheap CB radio and involves Lewis in an unpleasant practical joke at the expense of a truck driver with the CB handle 'Rusty Nail' but they find themselves in fear for their lives when old Rusty turns out to be a psychopath who takes a violent dislike to them. From then on, they themselves become the objects of the unseen Rusty Nail's revenge. After several hair-raising encounters, they resolve not to tell Venna of their adventures when they pick her up at the clean, well-lit Colorado campus.

It would be easy to criticise Joy Ride (known as Road kill in the UK). Its premise is hardly original and its reliance on a CB radio as a plot device harks back to the seventies, rather than the present day when everybody (except in this movie) has a cell phone. However, Joy Ride is actually a stunning success due to its faultless direction, which creates Hitchcock like suspense and provides many heart stopping moments. The script is excellent too combining and balancing humour and horror in equal measures, often hinting at violence that is not actually seen and providing nervous moments of humour whilst avoiding corniness. As for the three leads they are perfectly cast with Paul Walker, minus the blonde beach boy locks he sported in The Fast and the Furious, making a good fist of the part of the boy from the wrong side of the tracks in love with the girl from the right side of the tracks played by the equally impressive Leelee Sobieski (Deep Impact). Steve Zahn (Out of Sight) as the misfit brother Fuller is also excellent and he steals many of the scenes with witty one-liners but ultimately this is a movie whose strength lies in the sum of all its parts. Cheaply made it shows that its not big budgets that make great movies its talent and imagination. Here's hoping there's a sequel! Four stars, well merited. ****

Develop a Phobia for Big, Black Trucks and Roadside Motels..
This is a brilliantly directed and scripted, 5-star thriller. The casting of the 3 leads - Steve Zahn, Paul Walker and Leelee Sobieski is perfect as they deliver wonderful performances and share great screen chemistry.

I can't remember the last time I had so much "fun" at the cinema. The suspense in "Joy Ride" is taut and heart-pounding while the laugh moments are also plentiful. The movie's about the danger that 2 brothers, Fuller (Zahn) and Lewis (Walker) get themselves into after their "seemingly" harmless prank on their car's CB radio goes horribly wrong when their "victim", a truck driver (who calls himself "Rusty Nail"), decides to get even with them. Watching this movie was great fun! Loud LAUGHS from the cinema audience during the funny scenes and SCREAMS from the female (mainly) audience during the "scary" moments testify to how effective the movie is. To me, one of the most hilarious scenes is the one where Fuller goes to the rescue of Venna (played by Sobieski) who is being harassed by a bunch of men in a motel bar.

The villain, "Rusty Nail" has the scariest voice! Listening to him talk on the CB radio ("Candy Cane... I'm looking for Candy Cane...") is enough to send a chill down your spine. You'll have to watch the movie to know whether he does show his face or not in the end.

This movie ends with a "delicious" twist.... to pave the way for a "Joy Ride 2", maybe?

I don't know if this type of movie is termed "black comedy" but trust me, the laughs and thrills are first-rate all the way. Just fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the Joy Ride!

Just ok
Since Paul Walker was in it(and I hate his annoying voice and wooden acting) I was expecting this to be a total disaster. To my surprise it wasn't as terrible as I anticipated. Although if you ask me whether it was a good movie, the answer would be no. Paul(and his baby blue eyes) goes on the road trip along with his dimwitted jailbird of a brother and hot(in producer's opinion) chick that he wants desperately. On the way, they decide to play a joke on some trucker who gets pissed off and starts stalking them. Somehow this trucker(whose face we never see) knows everything about them and he appears at the most unexpected moments. Instead of going to the cops, like any normal people, the characters spend the movie trying to run away and outwit this fathom. I thought it was supposed to be suspense thriller but this is definitely "Friday 13th" kind of movie(and I'm not found of those). Paul Walker didn't stink as badly as he did in the "Fast and the Furious", but this LeeLee Sobievski who was playing the "hot" chick is one bad actress(and skanky looking one at that. I suspect the producers had the beer goggles on when she was selected for this role). However, if you compare this film with some of the other crap I've been watching lately, this can almost be called a masterpiece

bad ending
This movie is pretty suspenseful, but the last thirty seconds might just be the worst ending in cinima history, or maybe rusty nail has a clone.

I'm not your Candycane!
This was one suspenseful movie! Two of my friends sat me down to watch this one, and I was very happy with it.

The plot has been summarized before, so I will avoid that. This movie is very much a tale of suspense that you will keep thinking about for days. Paul Walker and Steve Zahn do really well in this film, but I'm not crazy about Leelee Sobieski. I've seen her in other films, and her acting is the same in all of them, lukewarm.

The first half of the movie is really good and you can really get into it, then Leelee's character is introduced and it starts to drag. This is a good movie to watch with a bunch of friends sitting there yelling at the screen.

The alternate endings are also very fabulous. Check them out if you haven't seen them yet. ... Read more

Reviews (216)

ROAD KILL
Directed by John Dahl, previously best known for Red Rock West and The Last Seduction (the movie that launched Linda Fiorentino's career), the ironically titled Joy ride is very much a homage to the seventies Spielberg movie Duel but rather than being just a cheap rip-off Joy Ride is in fact a very entertaining, genuinely scary edge of the seat ride, which proves that you don't need a big budget to make great movies.

THE PLOT: The film's instantly likeable hero, Lewis, played by Paul Walker (The Fast and The Furious) a scholarship student at Berkeley, buys a battered 1971 car so he can pick up Venna (Leelee Sobieski), who he has a major crush for, from the University of Colorado and drive her to the East Coast for summer vacation. However, on the way he unexpectedly has to pick up his irresponsible older brother Fuller (the always excellent Steve Zahn) who's in a Salt Lake City jail on a drunk-and-disorderly charge. During the journey Fuller buys a cheap CB radio and involves Lewis in an unpleasant practical joke at the expense of a truck driver with the CB handle 'Rusty Nail' but they find themselves in fear for their lives when old Rusty turns out to be a psychopath who takes a violent dislike to them. From then on, they themselves become the objects of the unseen Rusty Nail's revenge. After several hair-raising encounters, they resolve not to tell Venna of their adventures when they pick her up at the clean, well-lit Colorado campus.

It would be easy to criticise Joy Ride (known as Road kill in the UK). Its premise is hardly original and its reliance on a CB radio as a plot device harks back to the seventies, rather than the present day when everybody (except in this movie) has a cell phone. However, Joy Ride is actually a stunning success due to its faultless direction, which creates Hitchcock like suspense and provides many heart stopping moments. The script is excellent too combining and balancing humour and horror in equal measures, often hinting at violence that is not actually seen and providing nervous moments of humour whilst avoiding corniness. As for the three leads they are perfectly cast with Paul Walker, minus the blonde beach boy locks he sported in The Fast and the Furious, making a good fist of the part of the boy from the wrong side of the tracks in love with the girl from the right side of the tracks played by the equally impressive Leelee Sobieski (Deep Impact). Steve Zahn (Out of Sight) as the misfit brother Fuller is also excellent and he steals many of the scenes with witty one-liners but ultimately this is a movie whose strength lies in the sum of all its parts. Cheaply made it shows that its not big budgets that make great movies its talent and imagination. Here's hoping there's a sequel! Four stars, well merited. ****

Develop a Phobia for Big, Black Trucks and Roadside Motels..
This is a brilliantly directed and scripted, 5-star thriller. The casting of the 3 leads - Steve Zahn, Paul Walker and Leelee Sobieski is perfect as they deliver wonderful performances and share great screen chemistry.

I can't remember the last time I had so much "fun" at the cinema. The suspense in "Joy Ride" is taut and heart-pounding while the laugh moments are also plentiful. The movie's about the danger that 2 brothers, Fuller (Zahn) and Lewis (Walker) get themselves into after their "seemingly" harmless prank on their car's CB radio goes horribly wrong when their "victim", a truck driver (who calls himself "Rusty Nail"), decides to get even with them. Watching this movie was great fun! Loud LAUGHS from the cinema audience during the funny scenes and SCREAMS from the female (mainly) audience during the "scary" moments testify to how effective the movie is. To me, one of the most hilarious scenes is the one where Fuller goes to the rescue of Venna (played by Sobieski) who is being harassed by a bunch of men in a motel bar.

The villain, "Rusty Nail" has the scariest voice! Listening to him talk on the CB radio ("Candy Cane... I'm looking for Candy Cane...") is enough to send a chill down your spine. You'll have to watch the movie to know whether he does show his face or not in the end.

This movie ends with a "delicious" twist.... to pave the way for a "Joy Ride 2", maybe?

I don't know if this type of movie is termed "black comedy" but trust me, the laughs and thrills are first-rate all the way. Just fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the Joy Ride!

Just ok
Since Paul Walker was in it(and I hate his annoying voice and wooden acting) I was expecting this to be a total disaster. To my surprise it wasn't as terrible as I anticipated. Although if you ask me whether it was a good movie, the answer would be no. Paul(and his baby blue eyes) goes on the road trip along with his dimwitted jailbird of a brother and hot(in producer's opinion) chick that he wants desperately. On the way, they decide to play a joke on some trucker who gets pissed off and starts stalking them. Somehow this trucker(whose face we never see) knows everything about them and he appears at the most unexpected moments. Instead of going to the cops, like any normal people, the characters spend the movie trying to run away and outwit this fathom. I thought it was supposed to be suspense thriller but this is definitely "Friday 13th" kind of movie(and I'm not found of those). Paul Walker didn't stink as badly as he did in the "Fast and the Furious", but this LeeLee Sobievski who was playing the "hot" chick is one bad actress(and skanky looking one at that. I suspect the producers had the beer goggles on when she was selected for this role). However, if you compare this film with some of the other crap I've been watching lately, this can almost be called a masterpiece

bad ending
This movie is pretty suspenseful, but the last thirty seconds might just be the worst ending in cinima history, or maybe rusty nail has a clone.

I'm not your Candycane!
This was one suspenseful movie! Two of my friends sat me down to watch this one, and I was very happy with it.

The plot has been summarized before, so I will avoid that. This movie is very much a tale of suspense that you will keep thinking about for days. Paul Walker and Steve Zahn do really well in this film, but I'm not crazy about Leelee Sobieski. I've seen her in other films, and her acting is the same in all of them, lukewarm.

The first half of the movie is really good and you can really get into it, then Leelee's character is introduced and it starts to drag. This is a good movie to watch with a bunch of friends sitting there yelling at the screen.

The alternate endings are also very fabulous. Check them out if you haven't seen them yet. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

MEMORABLE
Once you get past the implausibility of the plot (mainly that the drug culled from Cerebral spinal fluid could do what occurs in this movie), you have a nervewrackingly good thriller. Ray Liotta, one of our most underappreciated actors, stars as a medical examiner who was cleared of murdering his wife by a technicality. In investigating a horrifying killing spree at a pharmacy, Ray thinks the killer is the same one who murdered his wife. He goes out on a date and meets Linda Fiorentino (quite good in a laconic way), who has developed a serum which allows memory transfer between rats. But, it is dangerous, and has not been tried on humans. Liotta is so empassioned with finding his wife's murderer, he steals the drug and uses it, and it does work, but without damage to his heart. From heron, Liotta finds out that Kim Coates (as a seedy drug dealer) is the one who did the pharmacy killing, and in flashbacks, he sees Coates attacking his wife. But, is he the true culprit? Many surprising plot twists evolve, and it is a great film. Featured are Peter Coyote, as Liotta's friend, a police detective; "Sex and the City's" Kim Cattrall has a small role as Liotta's sister in law who has custody of his girls; David Paymer plays Liotta's friend and partner; and Christopher McDonald is a seedy, sleazy cop who thinks Liotta did kill the wife.
John Dahl directs with assuredness and the rainy Seattle setting is perfect.
An unknown gem.

FIRST RATE THRILLER
John Dahl should smash the box-office one of these days because he truely deserves it. Unforgettable is his best work effort, a gripping suspensefiul script supported by an excellent cast and a director who knows how to keep you on the edge of your sofa. The Dolby Digital track is very dynamic and does justice to Christopher Young's remarkable score. This widescreen edition is not anamorphic, as marked on the back cover, but the image is sharp.

It's finally on DVD!
I've been waiting for this movie to come out on DVD since I first got a DVD player about three years ago. Ray Liotta gives an excellent performance as a man falsely accused of murder trying to find his wife's killer. The plot is very interesting and original and presented so that it is believable and intense. Definitely a must-have.

effectively moody
surprisingly well executed and acting was expecte

Malton is a disgrace!
A more inntense thriller/suspense movie is hard to find ... Read more

Reviews (216)

ROAD KILL
Directed by John Dahl, previously best known for Red Rock West and The Last Seduction (the movie that launched Linda Fiorentino's career), the ironically titled Joy ride is very much a homage to the seventies Spielberg movie Duel but rather than being just a cheap rip-off Joy Ride is in fact a very entertaining, genuinely scary edge of the seat ride, which proves that you don't need a big budget to make great movies.

THE PLOT: The film's instantly likeable hero, Lewis, played by Paul Walker (The Fast and The Furious) a scholarship student at Berkeley, buys a battered 1971 car so he can pick up Venna (Leelee Sobieski), who he has a major crush for, from the University of Colorado and drive her to the East Coast for summer vacation. However, on the way he unexpectedly has to pick up his irresponsible older brother Fuller (the always excellent Steve Zahn) who's in a Salt Lake City jail on a drunk-and-disorderly charge. During the journey Fuller buys a cheap CB radio and involves Lewis in an unpleasant practical joke at the expense of a truck driver with the CB handle 'Rusty Nail' but they find themselves in fear for their lives when old Rusty turns out to be a psychopath who takes a violent dislike to them. From then on, they themselves become the objects of the unseen Rusty Nail's revenge. After several hair-raising encounters, they resolve not to tell Venna of their adventures when they pick her up at the clean, well-lit Colorado campus.

It would be easy to criticise Joy Ride (known as Road kill in the UK). Its premise is hardly original and its reliance on a CB radio as a plot device harks back to the seventies, rather than the present day when everybody (except in this movie) has a cell phone. However, Joy Ride is actually a stunning success due to its faultless direction, which creates Hitchcock like suspense and provides many heart stopping moments. The script is excellent too combining and balancing humour and horror in equal measures, often hinting at violence that is not actually seen and providing nervous moments of humour whilst avoiding corniness. As for the three leads they are perfectly cast with Paul Walker, minus the blonde beach boy locks he sported in The Fast and the Furious, making a good fist of the part of the boy from the wrong side of the tracks in love with the girl from the right side of the tracks played by the equally impressive Leelee Sobieski (Deep Impact). Steve Zahn (Out of Sight) as the misfit brother Fuller is also excellent and he steals many of the scenes with witty one-liners but ultimately this is a movie whose strength lies in the sum of all its parts. Cheaply made it shows that its not big budgets that make great movies its talent and imagination. Here's hoping there's a sequel! Four stars, well merited. ****

Develop a Phobia for Big, Black Trucks and Roadside Motels..
This is a brilliantly directed and scripted, 5-star thriller. The casting of the 3 leads - Steve Zahn, Paul Walker and Leelee Sobieski is perfect as they deliver wonderful performances and share great screen chemistry.

I can't remember the last time I had so much "fun" at the cinema. The suspense in "Joy Ride" is taut and heart-pounding while the laugh moments are also plentiful. The movie's about the danger that 2 brothers, Fuller (Zahn) and Lewis (Walker) get themselves into after their "seemingly" harmless prank on their car's CB radio goes horribly wrong when their "victim", a truck driver (who calls himself "Rusty Nail"), decides to get even with them. Watching this movie was great fun! Loud LAUGHS from the cinema audience during the funny scenes and SCREAMS from the female (mainly) audience during the "scary" moments testify to how effective the movie is. To me, one of the most hilarious scenes is the one where Fuller goes to the rescue of Venna (played by Sobieski) who is being harassed by a bunch of men in a motel bar.

The villain, "Rusty Nail" has the scariest voice! Listening to him talk on the CB radio ("Candy Cane... I'm looking for Candy Cane...") is enough to send a chill down your spine. You'll have to watch the movie to know whether he does show his face or not in the end.

This movie ends with a "delicious" twist.... to pave the way for a "Joy Ride 2", maybe?

I don't know if this type of movie is termed "black comedy" but trust me, the laughs and thrills are first-rate all the way. Just fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the Joy Ride!

Just ok
Since Paul Walker was in it(and I hate his annoying voice and wooden acting) I was expecting this to be a total disaster. To my surprise it wasn't as terrible as I anticipated. Although if you ask me whether it was a good movie, the answer would be no. Paul(and his baby blue eyes) goes on the road trip along with his dimwitted jailbird of a brother and hot(in producer's opinion) chick that he wants desperately. On the way, they decide to play a joke on some trucker who gets pissed off and starts stalking them. Somehow this trucker(whose face we never see) knows everything about them and he appears at the most unexpected moments. Instead of going to the cops, like any normal people, the characters spend the movie trying to run away and outwit this fathom. I thought it was supposed to be suspense thriller but this is definitely "Friday 13th" kind of movie(and I'm not found of those). Paul Walker didn't stink as badly as he did in the "Fast and the Furious", but this LeeLee Sobievski who was playing the "hot" chick is one bad actress(and skanky looking one at that. I suspect the producers had the beer goggles on when she was selected for this role). However, if you compare this film with some of the other crap I've been watching lately, this can almost be called a masterpiece

bad ending
This movie is pretty suspenseful, but the last thirty seconds might just be the worst ending in cinima history, or maybe rusty nail has a clone.

I'm not your Candycane!
This was one suspenseful movie! Two of my friends sat me down to watch this one, and I was very happy with it.

The plot has been summarized before, so I will avoid that. This movie is very much a tale of suspense that you will keep thinking about for days. Paul Walker and Steve Zahn do really well in this film, but I'm not crazy about Leelee Sobieski. I've seen her in other films, and her acting is the same in all of them, lukewarm.

The first half of the movie is really good and you can really get into it, then Leelee's character is introduced and it starts to drag. This is a good movie to watch with a bunch of friends sitting there yelling at the screen.

The alternate endings are also very fabulous. Check them out if you haven't seen them yet. ... Read more

Reviews (216)

ROAD KILL
Directed by John Dahl, previously best known for Red Rock West and The Last Seduction (the movie that launched Linda Fiorentino's career), the ironically titled Joy ride is very mu