Four twentysomethings decide that desperate times call for desperate measures. After Avery's (Henry Thomas) sister is kidnapped, they hatch a plan to do a little kidnapping of their own. The man they pick is Carlo/Charlie (Christopher Walken), a retired mobster who they suspect can 'use his contacts' to free the girl. Charlie's motivation to help, in addition to not being killed, is that he will be returned to his home in the exact same condition that Elise Chasten is returned home in. The man in charge is Bret (Jay Mohr), who hatches the plan and plays the role of 'bad cop' for most of the movie. T.K. (Jeremy Sisto), a fledgling med student, monitors Charlie's health and provides the voice of reason in many instances. Also along for the ride is Max Minot (Sean Patrick Flanery), Avery's pal and Elise's fiancé. The group brings Ira (Johnny Galecki) in on the plan only after he agrees to let them use his parents' summer home for the night. The man responsible for recovering Charlie is Lono (Denis Leary), his driver. As time winds down, the boys' inexperience becomes more and more apparent ('you didn't think this through too good, did you? Charlie once comments), and Charlie's ever-worsening health becomes a major cause for concern. It's only a matter of time before Charlie decides to help the kids out, and he plays them against one another by showing them that the kidnappers may be much closer to home than they could have imagined.
Suicide Kings is a good film not because of the big names, but because of those who have since become big names. Christopher Walken plays the same kind of character that made Christopher Walken famous, and Denis Leary plays the same kind of character that made Denis Leary famous. Who really shines in this film is Jay Mohr. His performance as Bret showcases his true talent. He makes the character into someone who is so sure he's right, you wonder if it isn't him behind the curtain pulling the strings. Jeremy Sisto turns in another solid performance as T.K. As the man keeping Charlie alive, and the first one to have any real conversation with the mobster, T.K. spends most of the movie with information that could tear the entire operation apart, while at the same time trying to keep cool and keep his friends cool. Johnny Galecki as Ira is also worth noting. Ira is the runt of the group, not a little spineless, and is eager to constantly remind Charlie that he had nothing to do with the kidnapping. Flanery and Thomas are good as well, but not the kind of good that makes you think only they could have pulled the roles off.
Overall, Suicide Kings is an imperfect, but still enjoyable movie. There are times when you're sure you've figured it out, only to find yourself second-guessing minutes later. With equal bits of comedy, drama and thriller, Suicide Kings is no waste of time.
Suicide Kings is a good film not because of the big names, but because of those who have since become big names. Christopher Walken plays the same kind of character that made Christopher Walken famous, and Denis Leary plays the same kind of character that made Denis Leary famous. Who really shines in this film is Jay Mohr. His performance as Bret showcases his true talent. He makes the character into someone who is so sure he's right, you wonder if it isn't him behind the curtain pulling the strings. Jeremy Sisto turns in another solid performance as T.K. As the man keeping Charlie alive, and the first one to have any real conversation with the mobster, T.K. spends most of the movie with information that could tear the entire operation apart, while at the same time trying to keep cool and keep his friends cool. Johnny Galecki as Ira is also worth noting. Ira is the runt of the group, not a little spineless, and is eager to constantly remind Charlie that he had nothing to do with the kidnapping. Flanery and Thomas are good as well, but not the kind of good that makes you think only they could have pulled the roles off.
Overall, Suicide Kings is an imperfect, but still enjoyable movie. There are times when you're sure you've figured it out, only to find yourself second-guessing minutes later. With equal bits of comedy, drama and thriller, Suicide Kings is no waste of time.