7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
MISSES THE TARGET SOMEWHAT, July 7, 2005
TRIGGERMEN is an odd mix of comedy and crime drama, well acted but sometimes sluggish and derivative. Adrian Dunbar and Neil Morrissey play two limey petty thieves who steal money meant for two hitmen, and then are forced to assume the hitmen's identities and pull off the hit against a rival crime boss. The movie IS entertaining, it's just not overly original. Along with the fine performances from Dunbar and Morrissey, we get Donnie Wahlberg and Michael Rapaport as the real hitmen; gorgeous Claire Forlani as the daughter of the intended target, well played by Pete Postelthwaite, and Amanda Plummer as the somewhat witchy girlfriend of Dunbar. Overall, a pleasant diversion.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pulp Fiction meets Two Gentlemen from Verona, August 21, 2004
`Triggermen' appears to be an independent production that may loosely be described as a seriously comedic thriller. As my review title suggests, it starts out as a classic mob hit contract story where an up and coming South Chicago mob boss wants to rub out his former superior who is `retiring from the business', and is leaving behind successors of which the South Chicago boss is unhappy. These are certainly ingredients for a typical Martin Scorsese / Robert DeNiro wiseguys plot, but it encounters some serious twists by the time it gets to the second reel.
The fact, which enables the big twist, is that the pair of hitmen were contracted for an agreed price of $100,000 through an intermediary, who the South Side boss's bad tempered strong arm assistant kills off after arrangements are made for delivering payment, but before the hiring boss or his thug have a chance to see or meet the contract killers. The classic mistaken identity which drives the remainder of the story starts with the appearance of two English con artists who happen upon the first installment of the contract payment, without the contractee realizing the mistake. Eager for more of the same money, the con artists follow their noses and instincts until they latch on to the full $100,000.
The connection to `Pulp Fiction' is based on the pair (multiple) of hitmen, the jumping around between four different threads of the story, based on the actions of contactee, true contract killers, con artists, and victim. The connection is made just a little sweeter by the appearance of Amanda Plummer in a role totally different from her `Pulp Fiction' character.
Almost all the action is played out in an O'Hare airport hotel. While the movie is obviously done with economy in mind, the actors and director all seem to be on top of their form and produce an exceedingly pleasant entertainment, where the comedic tone is maintained by the fact that only three minor characters get killed with a minimum of violence. The action on the screen would not sustain a Tarantino action scene for more than about 30 seconds.
While I am not about to say that this movie is on the same level of quality as `Pulp Fiction' or `Mean Streets' or any other classic thriller, it is a really pleasant entertainment. The only thing which puzzles me about the movie is the fact that there are ten (10) producers and executive producers credited for the movie. I guess the large management and financial support staff were needed to pull together the money to do the production and keep down costs.
All in all, it's the kind of movie you are happy to run across, where no expectations are rewarded with an entertaining 90 minutes.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Happenstance Among Gangsters - and Funny to Boot!, October 7, 2004
TRIGGERMEN is in many ways a spoof of the ever-popular big mob crime dramas. It succeeds as entertainment because of a very smart script with heart, because of breakneck direction by John Bradshaw, and because of the unusually talented cast of actors. Two triggermen (Donnie Wahlberg and Michael Rappaport) have been hired by a wannabe crime boss in Chicago (Louis di Bianco) to 'off' the current big man (Pete Postlethwaite) at Chicago's O'Hare airport hotel. By chance, staying at the hotel are two 'limeys' (Neil Morrissey and Adrian Dunbar) who are small time con artists waiting to make it big. Also by chance these two bumbling lads get involved in the plot to murder Postlethwaite and it is only when the original triggermen discover the mix-up that the action speeds to a funny, quasi-lethal end. Simple tale, but in the telling of it we grow to really know the characters with all of their quirks and ideals that seem odd in men committed to crime. Their is love interest provided by the always fine Claire Forlani and yes, even by the quirky but talented Amanda Plummer. In all a brisk, taut, warm-hearted action flick well worth your time to enjoy.
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