A jag from Falling Down (1993) via Ebbe Roe Smith who acts here. Written by Daniel Petrie Jr. Directed by Jim McBride.
Lead Dennis Quaid is a slightly bent police lieutenant in New Orleans. The only available woman in town, Ellen Barkin (Tender Mercies (1983), Down by Law (1986), Sea of Love (1989)), works for the D.A. and has reason to suspect that the cops are in on a mafia/wiseguy murder or two and a heroin stash. Ned Beatty got the John Goodman role, an amiable police chief, leaving John Goodman with little to work with. Things generally go as they must in a generally winsome, comedic mode. It's a bit Howard Hawks with Lisa Jane Persky doing the Hildy role well enough that I wish she'd been the focus. There's so much mumbling that I missed boatloads of dialogue and most of the character's names. Barkin is game but not my idea of a good time. She's at her best when she's chewing some man out. There are some funny bits but I feel I was more laughing at than with.
Roger Ebert: four stars. Clearly I missed the depths, the eroticism and the characterisation. Vincent Canby was far less convinced.
