Tipsheet Reviews
Video

One Night at McCool's

COMEDY
Color, R (mature themes, violence, sexual situations, language), 93 min., CC, VHS rental, DVD $24.95
Street: Sept. 25, Prebook: Aug. 27 (DVD Aug. 13)
First Run: W, April 2001, $6.3 mil.
Liv Tyler (Stealing Beauty), Matt Dillon (To Die For), John Goodman
(Sea of Love), Paul Reiser (Bye Bye, Love), Michael Douglas (Wonder
Boys), Reba McEntire (North)
Director: Harald Zwart
USA

Variety Said: With its mild twists on modern crime conventions, farcical approach to violence and dovetailing story strands, One Night at McCool's feels like a film from several years ago, one of the many made in the wake of Pulp Fiction that tried and failed to be as clever as its progenitor. It's a strained effort, an odd one to launch Michael Douglas' new indie-slanted production company Further Films, and certain to be a very minor theatrical performer for USA Films. --Todd McCarthy

VB Takes a Look: Noir comedies never seem to deliver on their clever premises--in this case a luscious manipulator (Tyler) who blows into the lives of three men leaving schemes gone awry, murder and great sex in her wake. It's just too much this time 'round, as if the film's trying to one-up Pulp Fiction's quirky character hop-skip-and-jump. Audiences didn't drop by McCool's during its wide theatrical release this spring, but they'll probably pop in upon its video launch to check out the ensemble of familiar faces and Liv Tyler's wayward (and often drenched) garments. So-so word-of-mouth, however, is sure to takes it's toll after a couple of weeks. --Cyril Pearl

BACK TO TOP

POST A COMMENT

There are no comments posted for this article.