Lucky Number Slevin

I saw this movie in theaters and now that it has come to video, I thought I would review it and hopefully sway a few people to give this under seen movie a shot. Josh Hartnett stars as an unlucky man who is mistaken for his friend. His friend owes someone a lot of money and Harnett must come up with it or be killed. Bruce Willis is a hitman, Morgan Freeman is the mob boss, Ben Kingsley is the Jewish mod boss and Lucy Lui is the new love interest of Hartnett. The plot is supposed to be kept under wraps as it quietly unfolds and the twist at the end is supposed to keep you on your toes, but I saw it coming pretty early on. So if it is not as shocking as it wants to be why watch the movie? It is all about the dialogue.


The movie borrows a lot of Tarentino, like a lot of indie type films do these days. The story is told in sections of time often switching between past, present and future but the director is certainly capable and pulls it off nicely. The movie is peppered with clever hilariously sly dialogue and the characters seem to know they are speaking in that kind of dialogue, but Hartnett especially looks like he is having a blast busting out of that broody thing he has been doing for most of his career. He still doesn't do much acting but at least he is having fun with dialogue like this:


The Boss: They call him "the Fairy"
Slevin: Why do they call him "the Fairy"?
The Boss: Because he's a fairy.
Slevin: What, he's got wings... He flies around sprinkling magic dust on people?
The Boss: [angry] He's a homosexual!


or


Brikowski: Who are you?
Slevin: Philosophically speaking?
Brikowski: Name. Slevin: Rank, serial number?
Dumbrowski: You should really play ball kid.
Slevin: Really? You think I'm tall enough?
Brikowski: [hits Slevin in stomach]
Brikowski: What is your name?
Slevin: [gasping for breath] Oh yeah, now I remember, Slevin Kelevra


Yes, it is mostly pretty simple but it is fun, fast in the context of the movie it is is funny and manages to fly off the tongues of all the actors. The biggest feat this movie manages though is, it makes me not hate Lucy Lui and usually I cannot freaking stand that chick. I really recommend this movie for people who are looking for a break from the norm and enjoy those off beat style movies.