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| Confidence |
| Genre |
Drama/Heist |
| Starring |
Ed Burns and Dustin Hoffman |
| Director |
James Foley |
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“Confidence” is a solid genre movie that is bolstered by a sharp script and a since of style. Not as elaborate, but much cooler than the recent “Heist” and “The Score”.
You’ve got to admire a guy like Ed Burns. He made “The Brothers McMullen” for only $20,000 and it went on to gain international acclaim. I consider him to be the thinking man’s Ben Affleck (yes I know he has an Oscar for “Good Will Hunting” even though I’m convinced Matt Damon wrote the entire thing). Unlike Affleck, Burns has chosen to pursue smaller, more independent projects. In one of his mainstream performances, he plays con man Jake Vig. Like James Bond or Double Down Trent from “Swingers”, Jake has a strong presence and projects an image of absolute confidence.
Jake and his crew: Gordo (Paul Giamatti), Miles (Brian Van Holt), Big Al (Louis Lombardi), swindled $150,000 with the help of the corrupt LAPD officers Whitworth (Donal Logue) and Manzano (Luis Guzman). They soon realize that they unknowingly stole the money from a powerful and brutal crime boss known as “The King” (Dustin Hoffman).
Instead of taking the money and skipping town, Jake goes to see the King at his seedy nightclub, apologizes and offers to pay him back by pulling an even bigger scam.
The King is impressed by Jake and chooses a well-to-do banker (Robert Forster) with underworld connections as the mark. Jake gathers his usual crew and adds a sexy pickpocket (Rachel Weisz) and gets to work. All the while, he's being watched by the King's enforcer (Franky G) and tailed by a dogged FBI agent (Andy Garcia) and the LAPD. Complications ensue as Jake and his crew attempt to pull of the con under the watchful eye of The King.
Mad props go to Hoffman as The King. The actor blows into the movie in full mega-sleaze mode. Twitchy, caustic, suspicious, he's a rabid little weasel, so sordid you can almost smell him. He fast-talks his way into a brilliant supporting performance. While all the actors have a field day with the script, I think he steals the show. In one of the best scenes of the movie, he delivers one of the coolest monologues of his career while explaining to Jake that style can get you killed.
Director James Foley, whose prime achievement remains the film version of David Mamet's “Glengarry Glen Ross”, directs with an unexpected visual flair. The picture is great-looking, with film noir shades of color, shadows, mean streets and sleazy strip clubs.
“Confidence” delivers everything in high style, thanks to screenwriter Doug Jung's sharply constructed plot and crunchy dialogue.
IN THE END: “Confidence” covers familiar ground, but it’s fast pacing and stylish mood makes this an easy way to spend an hour and a half. (B, B-) |
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| "We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then question the manner in which I provide it." |
- Jack Nicholson
A Few Good Men
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Distributed Beers
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| 5 |
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot |
| 4 |
Guinness Draught |
| 3 |
Newcastle Brown Ale |
| 2 |
Bass Pale Ale |
| 1 |
Samuel Adams Boston Lager |
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