A very unusual, very unconventional film which can not seem to decide if it wants to be a character study/mood piece or thriller. Richard Bone(Jeff Bridges)is an irresponsible, commitment-phobic ivy-league pal of boozing, hardened Vietnam vet, Alex(John Heard). Mo(Lisa Eichhorn, very good)is the troubled, sad wife of Alex who seems lost to the world as she watches her husband sliding down a spiraling emotional slope. These three characters are surrounded by the wealthy means of the rich nearby a marina whose boyhood pal is George(Arthur Rosenberg), someone who is seeing green pastures thanks to the mighty powerful JJ Cord(Stephen Elliot photographed as if he were a mighty unmovable pillar)who is a business giant with lots of powerful corporate friends. It seems that it's possible Richard saw the mighty JJ dumping a dead woman's body. Alex, enraged at the thought of any mighty man of means like JJ just dumping off "people like him"(this anti-establishment rage courses through his veins thanks to the war which left him a cripple..it is people like JJ who sent him over there to die in 'Nam, he believes wholeheartedly). Soon the dead girl's sister, Valerie(Ann Dusenberry)wants revenge towards JJ when Alex tells her that Richard could identify him as the one there that night. Valerie wants to take JJ down and along with Alex, concocts a plan to blackmail JJ turning him over to the police when the money is supposedly handed over. That doesn't quite succeed because Richard doesn't have it in him to hand over a letter proposing that JJ give them cash claiming he saw the man caught in the act. The film exploits the fact that Richard just can not commit to much of anything always drifting in and out of relationships, jobs, anything demanding of him. Alex is the exact opposite looking for the cause to stamp out any injustice always giving his whole heart. Interesting enough, Richard seems to benefiting a lot more than Alex..perhaps that's a statement into itself. The thriller seems secondary to the awkward friendship of Richard and Alex.
Mo seems to be a chess piece between them as Alex has her and Bone has always desired her. Mo doesn't wish to give into Richard because it would be fulfilling his "one last conquest." Meanwhile, Valerie enters this story and leaves without much explanation as to where she went. She's very vocal about seeing JJ hand over that money, and her ulterior motives are never quite clear. She seems to be in this story as the injured sister, but becomes very involved with the two men(..perhaps not sexually, but we really never fully know)pushing for the blackmailing idea to be carried through. When Richard chickens out, she joins Alex in the quest to take down JJ..but once she leaves this scene we never find out what happens to her. And, the climactic meeting(after a house burning leaves one of the three dead)between JJ and Richard seems rather unsatisfying.
I will admit that I had problems with the last 30 minutes of the film where the thriller is supposed to develop at the height of tension, yet doesn't commit, much in the same way as Richard. The answer to the riddle..did JJ not only kill the girl at the beginning, but another character by house burning. It isn't specified so the viewer will have to decide. It does end with a bang. The film is certainly fascinating with good performances(..although, I felt Heard overexerts himself into a near-parody;he could almost resemble a pirate with the saying of, "Shiver me timbers!" to seal the deal.), but I felt a prolonging sadness in the material. These three people we ourselves commit to seem destined for tragedy. I guess it's just in the cards.
Mo seems to be a chess piece between them as Alex has her and Bone has always desired her. Mo doesn't wish to give into Richard because it would be fulfilling his "one last conquest." Meanwhile, Valerie enters this story and leaves without much explanation as to where she went. She's very vocal about seeing JJ hand over that money, and her ulterior motives are never quite clear. She seems to be in this story as the injured sister, but becomes very involved with the two men(..perhaps not sexually, but we really never fully know)pushing for the blackmailing idea to be carried through. When Richard chickens out, she joins Alex in the quest to take down JJ..but once she leaves this scene we never find out what happens to her. And, the climactic meeting(after a house burning leaves one of the three dead)between JJ and Richard seems rather unsatisfying.
I will admit that I had problems with the last 30 minutes of the film where the thriller is supposed to develop at the height of tension, yet doesn't commit, much in the same way as Richard. The answer to the riddle..did JJ not only kill the girl at the beginning, but another character by house burning. It isn't specified so the viewer will have to decide. It does end with a bang. The film is certainly fascinating with good performances(..although, I felt Heard overexerts himself into a near-parody;he could almost resemble a pirate with the saying of, "Shiver me timbers!" to seal the deal.), but I felt a prolonging sadness in the material. These three people we ourselves commit to seem destined for tragedy. I guess it's just in the cards.