Ruthless advertising agency head Dan Cutler (Alan Alda in superbly slimy and fearsome form) pushes the men who work for him as well as several clients to participate in a white water rafting expedition with tragic and disastrous consequences.
Director Robert Butler keeps the gripping story moving at a steady pace and presents all the startling events in an evenly balanced manner without ever resorting to needless flashy flourishes or sappy sentiment. Michael Butler's tough-minded script boldly addresses such provocative issues as abuse of power, moral responsibility, and the brutal spiritual price to pay for tenaciously abiding by and adhering to the ferocious cutthroat nature of the corporate mentality. The uniformly fine acting by the top-drawer cast holds this picture together, with especially stand-out work from Peter Gallagher as the conflicted and conscience-stricken Jack Robbins, Robert Loggia as lovably gruff retiree Nick Karas, Bruce Altman as the amiable David Koenig, Fionula Flanagan as Nick's hard-nosed wise Gena, Dakin Matthews as the decent and honest Andy Thornell, and Ken Jenkins as the shaken Jerry Taggert. Lloyd Ahern II's sparkling cinematography provides lots of breathtaking images of the roaring rapids. The spare moody score by Pray for Rain rates as another significant asset. An absolute powerhouse.
Director Robert Butler keeps the gripping story moving at a steady pace and presents all the startling events in an evenly balanced manner without ever resorting to needless flashy flourishes or sappy sentiment. Michael Butler's tough-minded script boldly addresses such provocative issues as abuse of power, moral responsibility, and the brutal spiritual price to pay for tenaciously abiding by and adhering to the ferocious cutthroat nature of the corporate mentality. The uniformly fine acting by the top-drawer cast holds this picture together, with especially stand-out work from Peter Gallagher as the conflicted and conscience-stricken Jack Robbins, Robert Loggia as lovably gruff retiree Nick Karas, Bruce Altman as the amiable David Koenig, Fionula Flanagan as Nick's hard-nosed wise Gena, Dakin Matthews as the decent and honest Andy Thornell, and Ken Jenkins as the shaken Jerry Taggert. Lloyd Ahern II's sparkling cinematography provides lots of breathtaking images of the roaring rapids. The spare moody score by Pray for Rain rates as another significant asset. An absolute powerhouse.