Shrewd criminal mastermind Sidley Lord James (smoothly played with charisma to burn by Thalmus Rasulala) gets paroled from prison. James concocts a bold scheme to steal three million worth of jewelry, but things go awry when human error encounters into the deal. Writer/director Barry Pollack relates the complex and compelling story at a quick pace, offers a flavorsome evocation of the gritty urban environment, brings an engaging hip sensibility to the already sound premise, and presents a neat rogues' gallery of colorful lowlife characters. The fine acting from the bang-up cast keeps this movie humming: Judy Pace as the sweet Obalese Eaton, Jim Watkins as bitter and down on his luck Vietnam veteran Travis Battle, Lincoln Kilpatrick as hard-nosed corrupt cop Lt. Brian Knowles, Sam Laws as jolly bookie Finian, Raymond St. Jacques as the slippery Bill Mercer, Stack Pierce as Mercer's shady partner Tinker, and Margaret Avery as the ditsy Lark. Pam Grier has a regrettably small part as a prostitute, but does at least bare her beautifully bountiful breasts. The amusing sense of cheeky humor and generous sprinkling of tasty female nudity rate as additional pluses. The heist is quite gripping and exciting. Kudos are also in order for Solomon Burke's funky chilling score and the polished cinematography by Andrew Davis. A nifty flick.
Review of Cool Breeze
