Customer Reviews

A Good Night to Die

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A Good Night to Die is a down and dirty New York film.
It is about a likable hit man named Ronnie, his not so
bright protege, August, and a eventful day in their
lives.

Michael Rappaport gives the most powerful performance
of his career as the dim witted and intense student of
the hit man arts. Gary Stretch plays the main
character who goes to extreme lengths to protect his
protege whom he feels responsible for bringing into
their world. I've never heard of Mr. Stretch but I'm
sure we all will very soon. He seems to jump off the
screen and sit in your lap.

A entirely unrecognizable Ralph Macchio plays a
psychotic killer with his partner (you never really
know their exact relationship, but whatever it is,
it's really weird) played by Ally Sheedy (always a
bonus to see Ralph Macchio and Ally Sheedy play a
murderous, psychotic duo)

Deborah Harry and Seymour Casell play rival mob bosses
but this is more than your standard "the mob is after
me" kind of movie.

The movie is filmed mainly in the streets of New York
City. You can practically smell the city. One
particular rooftop assassination scene really stands
out. There was something very disturbing and wrong
about how the person was done in.

I highly recommend this movie.

Ever watch a movie that you can't get out of your head the next day, this is one of those films. The plot twists and turns and keeps you on your feet with the introduction of new characters who need to find their place. In the end, the film ties together nicely and leaves you feeling sorry for two hit men!!!
Definitely not your main stream thriller. The film is imaginative and you won't walk away feeling jaded.

I really dont know how anyone can enjoy this movie, the movie keeps on skipping backwards and forwards in time and in the end you are so confused that the movie doesnt make sense. I bought the movie based on the reviews and what a disappointment and a waste of money.

This "Pulp Fiction"-esque crime odyssey has more hysterical colorful characters than Oz has flying monkeys! If for no other reason, see this movie for Ally Sheedy and Ralph Macchio's turn as brother and sister hit team Donnie and Marie. Of course, there's also Deborah "Blondie" Harry as a New York crime lord; Michael Rapaport, unforgettable, as a bumbling hit man prodigy; and a slew of amazing cameos by Robin Givens, Lanie Kazan, Frank Whaley, and more. The myriad New York City locations pack grit and atmosphere like the A train packs bitter commuters. But, unlike the underground railway, this ticket buys a fantastic ride.

"A Good Night to Die" is another one of the "hitman" films that are so commonplace nowadays. Some of the best of them include (in order of lifetime gross) "Pulp Fiction" (1994), Tom Cruise's "Collateral" (2004), the "Kill Bill" series (2003, 2004), Timothy Olliphant's "Hitman" (2007), the John Cusack comedy "Grosse Point Blank" (1997), and Luc Besson's "The Professional" (1994). Hitman films go back many decades to the classic Alan Ladd "This Gun for Hire" (1942).

The film stars Michael Rapaport, Gary Stretch, and Seymour Cassel with a strong cast that includes Ally Sheedy ("The Breakfast Club"), James Russo, Ralph Macchio ("The Karate Kid"), Lainie Kazan ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding"), Robin Givens, and Deborah Harry ("Blondie").

Former British boxer Gary Stretch is best known for his work as a psycho in "Dead Man's Shoes" (2004) and as Cleitus in "Alexander" (2004). He's been in several films by Craig Singer, this film's producer/director. Stretch plays a Hitman trying to help his friend who is threatened with being hit due to his incompetence.

Michael Rapaport is not a well known name but you've seen his face in more than 50 films. He's probably best known as Frank from "My Name is Earl" (2007-8) and as Don Self from "Prison Break" (2008-9). Rapaport plays Stretch's hitman friend who is in trouble.

The excellent supporting cast appears almost exclusively in one scene. And while they all do a great job, one short scene is not enough.

Seymour Cassel is the veteran in this film that features younger actors. Cassel started in the business in 1959 and has more than 200 roles to his credit. He was nominated for an Oscar for "Faces" (1968). He plays a mob boss who orders his wife (Lainie Kazan in a great scene) killed so he can get custody of his son.

Frank Whaley reprises his role as a film producer from "Swimming with Sharks" (1994) and gives a film stealing performance as Stretch leans on him and he decides, on the spot, to make a weekly series called "Street Walker" featuring Stretch eliminating people.

Ralph Macchio and Ally Sheedy play psycho killers and fortunately they get a little more screen time that the rest of the group. They are so good it's a wonderment they didn't get the series Whaley was so hot to trot with.

This was the second film for producer/director Craig Singer who has made 5 films since 1995, mostly horror ("Dark Ride", "Animal Room", "Perkins 14"). Singer often works with the film's writer Robert Dean Klein.

The film is spotty. There are some brilliant scenes (as noted) which are smart, sharp, and memorable, but these are too few. These little gems are interspersed with busy work (e.g., claymation, speeded up sequences) that really doesn't add anything. Busy work can help a film (e.g., Kill Bill, Monty Python) but it doesn't necessarily help, and if it doesn't help, it hurts. But the real problem here is the central characters, especially Rapaport, who don't have the chemistry necessary to sustain the plot.

Bottom line - this film contains some precious gems and some really good acting, but overall doesn't sustain itself. It's a quirky addition to the hitman genre, but there are better and even quirkier films ("In Bruges") to see.

This "Pulp Fiction"-esque crime odyssey has more hysterical colorful characters than Oz has flying monkeys! If for no other reason, see this movie for Ally Sheedy and Ralph Macchio's turn as brother and sister hit team Donnie and Marie. Of course, there's also Deborah "Blondie" Harry as a New York crime lord; Michael Rapaport, unforgettable, as a bumbling hit man prodigy; and a slew of amazing cameos by Robin Givens, Lanie Kazan, Frank Whaley, and more. The myriad New York City locations pack grit and atmosphere like the A train packs bitter commuters. But, unlike the underground railway, this ticket buys a fantastic ride.

I saw this film when it showed at the Tribeca Film Festival, and I was blown away (pun intended) by the acting, the story, and especially the way it depicted New York City. I had to run out and order the DVD for my permanent collection. Michael Rapaport and this Gary Stretch guy were fantastic and sympathetic as two killers for hire on a collision course with mob bosses, other hit men and each other. Ralph Macchio, Ally Sheedy, Blondie, the lady from Big Fat Greek Wedding and that old guy who's in everything, round out a great ensemble cast. Oh yeah, and I think that was Robin Givens as the girlfriend! If you're into exciting gritty thrillers like Chinatown, Goodfellas, the French Connection or tarantino films, you should order this DVD.

This movie is the best Gary Stretch movie ever. His character is so different from all the others that he has played before. You can't help but root for him all the way through. With clever sarcasm for humor and danger everywhere, this is the real definition of having a bad day.

One of Michael Rapaport's best performances, this film noir thriller is a must see.

This is a love story between two killers for hire. Stretch introduces Rapaport to big time crime after they accidentally meet in a dark movie theater. Stretch is charmed and very much taken by Rapaport's semi-retarded personality and ridiculous attempt to stick him up, while sharing pop corn and silly talk. It's too bad the film strayed from this promising story line, making the mistake of introducing too many characters that just pop in and out of the picture either to kill someone or get killed. Without giving the ending away, it was during that fateful coffee shop scene between our two guys at the end of the movie that I realized that my interpretation of the story was right all along. Stretch even rejects a floozy's sexual advances only to drift off into a dream about himself and Rapaport cozily talking away in bed like a gay couple. Unfortunately, all we end up with is a much too large cast of characters and situations that don't add up to much in the end. The film has a nice visual style, but it would have needed a much tighter script and artistic vision to pull it all together. As it is, I can only wonder about the great thug love story it could have been.