"Loosies" is an unexpectedly excellent movie that received zero hype, but made it onto Showtime's movie rotation, which has allowed me to view it multiple times. I've found that only truly great movies can survive multiple viewings, as you get the opportunity to really dissect the screen writing, editing and acting, and only the strong survive such close scrutiny. The casting is one of "Loosies" strongest points, starting with Peter Facinelli as the lead, and whom is apparently the main driving and creative force behind the picture, as he is listed with Production and Screen writing/Story credits.
Facinelli would be difficult to cast as a truly malevolent villain, as his handsome face is so naturally open and friendly and he is possessed of an enviable comic timing that he uses with restrained subtlety in the role of Bobby, the Pickpocket-With-a-Heart-of-Gold. He surrounds himself with a tight group of the industry's greatest character actors.
Facinelli's hero is bookended by two well-written and played villains: the lizard-like Vincent Gallo as the amoral, fatally greedy psychopath and criminal Jax, with Gallo pulling out all the "Gallo stops" and playing the dirty bathrobe-wearing Jax with a greasy glory; and Jax's opposite, Lt. Nick Sullivan, a bent cop with as much villainous ill temper as Jax, played by the always-great Michael Madsen, with a seething, explosive anger just barely below the surface. These twin poles of evil bedevil Bobby throughout the movie, and make for the high amount of tension between the main characters that drives the tightly written plot forward.
Lastly, is Joe Pantoliano, cast against type as the deceptively nebbish Carl, whom ends up being the hero's loyal sidekick after a number of amusing trials. Gone is the typical Pantoliano Italian-American swagger, instead replaced with a touching sweetness backed up with a well camouflaged, non-macho toughness. At the end of the film, bobby and Carl, at first at odds with each other, have become fast friends, and I felt truly happy about Bobby's future without it being spelled out for me.
I was particularly impressed by the Gallo's character, Jax. This is a meaty role, and Gallo, kind of nutso in his own right, really digs in. He thrives on being a boorish bully and wildly overestimates his own intelligence and sophistication as he surrounds himself with a pathetic crew of sycophants who are even more stupid than Jax,but just barely.
Bobby uses Jax's stupidity and greed against him, as he carries out a very clever plan that relies entirely on smarts as opposed to physical might. Watching this plan unfold is among the most entertaining scenes in the film. Jax is drawn in by Carl's mention of $500K of diamonds, and his greed blinds him to many obvious signs of warning. After Carl skillfully grabs ahold of the wad of cash in Jax's hand that was intended to be just for show, Jax is forced to realize that his supposedly carefully laid trap for Carl might not be so invincible. The bitter and annoyed sideways glances Jax gives to Carl in the taxi are priceless.
Even at the point when he should be happy about getting away with a huge score, Jax manages to still be cruel and selfish as he cuts Bobby out and doles out a pathetically small portion to his comrade, being mean and nasty as he always is. Jax only shows happiness when he is either exercising his bully power over someone or when he thinks he's getting away with something; he showed such greasy satisfaction when he turned Bobby in to the cops, with no embarrassment at all at being a snitch, something that in his world would be a huge crime.
The final Jax scene, when his door is bust open by Lt. Sullivan and his group of thug cops, is doubly satisfying as Jax gets what's been coming to him for years from such an unsavory character as the Lieutenant. And Lt. Sullivan, who was so obsessed with catching the cocky criminal who stole his badge and paraded it around town, is catching the wrong guy, which is also satisfying as you don't want such a nasty, bent cop to succeed.
The combination of very well-drawn characters perfectly cast with an airtight, fun plot makes this movie as good as it is. I've now seen it about 8 times, and have not yet grown tired of it. I highly recommend seeing "Loosies", with it's excellent cast, dark and sweet humor, and thrilling cops and robbers-with-a-twist plot. A true dark horse.
Facinelli would be difficult to cast as a truly malevolent villain, as his handsome face is so naturally open and friendly and he is possessed of an enviable comic timing that he uses with restrained subtlety in the role of Bobby, the Pickpocket-With-a-Heart-of-Gold. He surrounds himself with a tight group of the industry's greatest character actors.
Facinelli's hero is bookended by two well-written and played villains: the lizard-like Vincent Gallo as the amoral, fatally greedy psychopath and criminal Jax, with Gallo pulling out all the "Gallo stops" and playing the dirty bathrobe-wearing Jax with a greasy glory; and Jax's opposite, Lt. Nick Sullivan, a bent cop with as much villainous ill temper as Jax, played by the always-great Michael Madsen, with a seething, explosive anger just barely below the surface. These twin poles of evil bedevil Bobby throughout the movie, and make for the high amount of tension between the main characters that drives the tightly written plot forward.
Lastly, is Joe Pantoliano, cast against type as the deceptively nebbish Carl, whom ends up being the hero's loyal sidekick after a number of amusing trials. Gone is the typical Pantoliano Italian-American swagger, instead replaced with a touching sweetness backed up with a well camouflaged, non-macho toughness. At the end of the film, bobby and Carl, at first at odds with each other, have become fast friends, and I felt truly happy about Bobby's future without it being spelled out for me.
I was particularly impressed by the Gallo's character, Jax. This is a meaty role, and Gallo, kind of nutso in his own right, really digs in. He thrives on being a boorish bully and wildly overestimates his own intelligence and sophistication as he surrounds himself with a pathetic crew of sycophants who are even more stupid than Jax,but just barely.
Bobby uses Jax's stupidity and greed against him, as he carries out a very clever plan that relies entirely on smarts as opposed to physical might. Watching this plan unfold is among the most entertaining scenes in the film. Jax is drawn in by Carl's mention of $500K of diamonds, and his greed blinds him to many obvious signs of warning. After Carl skillfully grabs ahold of the wad of cash in Jax's hand that was intended to be just for show, Jax is forced to realize that his supposedly carefully laid trap for Carl might not be so invincible. The bitter and annoyed sideways glances Jax gives to Carl in the taxi are priceless.
Even at the point when he should be happy about getting away with a huge score, Jax manages to still be cruel and selfish as he cuts Bobby out and doles out a pathetically small portion to his comrade, being mean and nasty as he always is. Jax only shows happiness when he is either exercising his bully power over someone or when he thinks he's getting away with something; he showed such greasy satisfaction when he turned Bobby in to the cops, with no embarrassment at all at being a snitch, something that in his world would be a huge crime.
The final Jax scene, when his door is bust open by Lt. Sullivan and his group of thug cops, is doubly satisfying as Jax gets what's been coming to him for years from such an unsavory character as the Lieutenant. And Lt. Sullivan, who was so obsessed with catching the cocky criminal who stole his badge and paraded it around town, is catching the wrong guy, which is also satisfying as you don't want such a nasty, bent cop to succeed.
The combination of very well-drawn characters perfectly cast with an airtight, fun plot makes this movie as good as it is. I've now seen it about 8 times, and have not yet grown tired of it. I highly recommend seeing "Loosies", with it's excellent cast, dark and sweet humor, and thrilling cops and robbers-with-a-twist plot. A true dark horse.