Watch In the Shadows For Free

Good concept, poorly executed.

Fantastic!

A lot of fun.

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

This one reminds me of "that thing you do!". Fun to watch, romantic, not to complicated and entertaining. This DVD is a keeper.I got this DVD for free and didn't read the cover, so I didn't have any expectations. (I can only recommend this; don't read the backside of the DVD before seeing the movie...Let it surprise you) The story line was OK, despite a bit predictable.I'm not familiar with the mob, so a hit-man becoming friends with his mark (and daughter) sounds plausible to me. Modine wasn't there to kill Caan immediately; he had to wait until "the big boss" arrived. Leaving plenty time for bonding. Things went a bit to smooth for my liking, almost like a fairy tale. But I don't expect a movie to be real life footage. And there was enough violence to make sure it wasn't a fairy tale...Cuba had a minor role. He had to act like he was acting, which isn't easy, so it looked a bit unnatural, like it should. James Caan was perfectly casted, great actor.Joey Lauren Adams and Mathew Modine weren't type casted, which I prefer. In real life we can't always judge books by their covers either. Reminding me of Tom Hanks in "Road to Perdition"....

I think we sometimes forget that the point in watching movies is to be entertained. I too, have often been guilty of cynicism in my assessment of what I have seen. This movie was predictable with the exception of the slight twist at the end but it was very entertaining. James Caan has the ability to dominate any scene he is in. Matthew Modine's role was refreshing and he played it with a flair. Most actors, unless they are Director and Producer, are not responsible for what actually makes it to the screen. They are probably lots of great movies that were left on the cutting room floor. The mobster in this movie were smoky, shady and pretty much deserved what they got. The key word though is entertainment and this movie fit the bill. RAM

A simple if improbable plot that gives Modine a chance to show his own shadowy side. I thought he did an excellent job for a guy who usually portrays the grinning, likeable, young quasi-hero. Here he has a lot of baggage as a mob hit man who is more mechanical than actually living, until he meets Joey Lauren Adams, who gives another lovable performance. It's always great to see James Caan as well, as he reminds me of an actor like Burt Lancaster. I enjoy every moment he is in a scene and how quickly he tends to dominate the moment. I thought the ending was a little surprising, but in the tradition of the classical Greek tragic-hero, it was appropriate.

It took me a little while to get into this movie, but eventually I found it intriguing and sometimes touching. The performances help buoy the plot's inconsistencies. Matthew Modine is good and convincing, not looking like a pretty boy this time around. He's handed a much darker role than he usually plays, and he does a fine job at carrying the film on his shoulders. James Caan is always great, and I was delighted to see every minute of his presence. And Joey Lauren Adams gives another charming performance. Unfortunately, Cuba Gooding Jr. only appears in the film for about 10 minutes. His first scene almost had me laughing--and I wasn't exactly laughing with him. I'm sorry, Cuba was convincing as a street thug back in his "Boyz N the Hood" days, but now it's just laughable. After seeing his dynamite performance in "A Bronx Tale," I was hoping to see Lillo Brancato on screen again. Well, I got my wish and he does a fine job. Unfortunately, he doesn't get much screen time either. One thing that irked me about the plot was how swept away Joey's character was by Modine. She meets this soft-spoken, monotoned, stonefaced guy who doesn't give her much background on who he is, and she doesn't even think for one second, "Isn't this guy a little creepy?" I think if a real woman were to see such a quiet soul who doesn't even crack a smile, she would freak and think he was some serial killer (or gangster, in his case). But as I said, the actors help make the scenes more credible. The ending is touching and sad. I don't suppose I'll remember this film in years to come, but for a little-known film it's surprisingly good. My score: 7 (out of 10)