
In Phoenix, Arizona, all is not well at the local police station as some of the colleagues are not good of heart. Superstitious cop Harry Collins is on the take. He a compulsive gambler who is forced to plan a heist with fellow cops Mike, James, and Fred to rip off local pimp and overall bad guy, Louie, to pay off gambling debts run up with "bookie" Chicago.... (Full plot summary below)
Enjoy FREE movies and series with your Prime (USA) subscription or when you start a 30-day free trial!
Links compiled using automated software. Availability of offers subject to change / might be region specific / out of date.
In Phoenix, Arizona, all is not well at the local police station as some of the colleagues are not good of heart. Superstitious cop Harry Collins is on the take. He a compulsive gambler who is forced to plan a heist with fellow cops Mike, James, and Fred to rip off local pimp and overall bad guy, Louie, to pay off gambling debts run up with "bookie" Chicago.
Leave your thoughts about Phoenix.
| Ozus' World Movie ReviewsDennis Schwartzt's a film that will not rise from either its ashes or clichés. |
| User ReviewSimon GI love Ray Liotta and cop movies, so what can go wrong with this movie? Nothing at all. |
| User Reviewmike hA classic rare gem, Ray is an awesome actor, what is wrong with you people. Ray Liotta have you have you ever watched him, act, seriously, this is a master at work, if you look up in intense in the dictionary theres a picture of him, explaining the word. Movie dick over and out |
| User ReviewZachary HRay Liotta really delivers in this role. Slow burning and character driven. This is one of the best neo-noir crime dramas doing the rounds. |
| User ReviewThomas BDefinitely one of the most underrated crime dramas I've ever scene. That's all thanks to a great cast and smart pacing back and forth between characters. |
| User ReviewPavel RAn excellent film which somehow seems to have escaped public acclaim. The basic storyline is quite conventional - it's based on the well-known fact that any serving police officer in the United States is necessarily corrupt, venal, violent, sexually promiscuous (not to mention abusive and perverse), frequently drunk, often overweight, and at least borderline psychopathic ... unless their name is Cagney or Lacey (although overweight can apply in this case). Ray Liotta plays a more or less honest cop who has a major flaw - he gambles (on anything and everything) and he is currently on a losing streak which has left him heavily in debt. Liotta finally realises he has no option but to obtain money illegally, but he'll only steal money from crooks, money which has been illegally obtained - like I say, he's more or less an honest cop. It should come as no surprise that a gambler may not be the best person to assess risk or to plan a robbery when his major worry seems to be whether or not he'll be lucky. He is, of course, not going to be lucky. The heist, when it happens, does not go altogether smoothly - which doesn't diminish the fact that this is one of the best, most memorable hold-ups on camera. It's a well shot film, neatly edited, with excellent performances from the entire cast. Liotta is rugged and charming, delivering a convincing portrait of a man obsessed with the nature of luck and the need to try to capture it, challenge it, beat it. He's a man with morals, and with the absolute conviction that you have to honour luck, that you can't welsh on a bet, or a debt. The film has a noir feel to it, though shot in colour and in far too sunny an environment. If there is a weakness, it might be the setting - the action takes place in Phoenix, Arizona, but you rarely get any sense of place; there are a couple of shots of cactus to remind you it's in a desert, there's a neat panoramic view of the city with mountains in the background, but really, it could just about be anywhere. The city is anonymous, the action finely paced and the plot given a mounting dynamic. It is a much underrated film, certainly better than average, and deserving of a wider audience. Translation to DVD is fine - though you do get the sense the odd establishing shots of desert and wide open spaces would be much more impressive and effective on the wider screen. |
| User Reviewbill bwow... what a surprise film. amazing cast strong story even if its not original |
| User ReviewGeoff Tevery now and then a low budget film comes along that's made what it is by a certain actor being in it. this is one of those. ray liotta owns this film. he plays a gambler that can't stop himself but there's a good man fighting to get out. he has his own moral code which includes never welching on a bet. it gets him into all sorts of trouble with his gang of crooked cop friends. the dialogue in this film is the dogs nads. i love the king kong rant in the car!! haha fricking awesome movie |
| User ReviewDaniel WA VERY UNDERRATED THRILLER FROM THE DIRECTOR OF JUDGE DREDD.THOUGH IT NEVER GOT TO SEE A THEATRICAL RELEASE AND WENT DIRECTLY ON TO VIDEO , THE MOVIE'S MUCH MORE THAN A MEDIOCRE POLICE THRILLER.UNLIKE MOST OF THRILLERS MADE FOR VIDEO , PHOENIX HAS A SMARTLY WRITTEN SCREENPLAY THAT COMBINES VIOLENCE AND HUMOR EFFECTIVELY BUT THE MOVIE'S STRONGEST HAND IS IT'S TERRIFIC CAST LED BY A SUPERB RAY LIOTTA... |
| User ReviewDavis VEntertaining Crime-Drama, with a great performance from Liotta as well as a very decent ending. |