Backfire

1988 "Before the night is over... someone will be rich, someone will be dead, someone will be avenged."
5.4| 1h33m| R| en
Details

Mara McAndrew's marriage is falling apart. Her husband, Donnie, a Vietnam veteran, suffers troubling flashbacks about the war, leaving him unresponsive to her needs. Mara wants out, but she also wants Donnie's money. When Mara meets a mysterious stranger, Reed, at a local bar, she believes she has found the right person to help her out of her predicament. But Mara worries that Donnie's sister, Jill, is on to her.

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Reviews

Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.
Evengyny Thanks for the memories!
MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting
Bluebell Alcock Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies
Dan Kyle I was an extra on this film, which was made in Victoria, BC, Canada in 1986, and wanted to share the "behind the scenes" stuff: most of the actors were friendly, especially Karen Allen who would play touch football while waiting for shooting; I worked in scenes with Jeff Fahey who prepared intensely, and it was interesting to see the acting process; and the Director's son hung around and was an extra as well, when he wasn't cruising the town in a rented Chrysler convertible. The director himself was extremely reserved and almost seemed to be immobile, leaving preparation to Tak Fujimoto, who has done some great work aside from this little $6 Million movie. The make-up and costume people were also great, and the set had an almost carnival atmosphere. When I finally did see the movie, I thought it wasn't too bad. It is certainly an interesting moment in the careers of the fairly well-known group of actors that were in it.
lost-in-limbo Donny McAndrew a Vietnam veteran is haunted by the experience of the war, and his conditions seems to be getting worse. His wife Mara seems concerned, but there's something greedy about her intentions when one night Donny finally cracks.Likable, slick mystery thriller that works due to it not overly being too clever, but managing to stay one step ahead in its jaded mix of stimulating seductiveness and growing psychological tension. The shady web of paranoia, passion, deceit and underlining guilt never lets story become too comfortable, despite its casual air and fundamental process. Larry Brand and Rebecca Reynolds' compact script plays more towards the taut drama and keeps to this trend, than anything involving charged thrills. But director Gilbert Gates doesn't discard this aspect, but delivers a pinch-full of jarring jolts to feed the story than to just shock. The film's slight conclusion makes sense and threw me off, but it seems vague to how it came to end with this payoff, especially after what came before it. I wouldn't be surprised if you find it simply plain answer. Gates' expertly handles the excursion with neat, and profitable precision. He peppers up a few atmospheric set pieces, but not in heavy doses. The flowing photography is sharply poised and an extremely effective music score is scorchingly bold. The performances of the three leads; the superbly sly Karen Allen, a wonderfully enigmatic Keith Carradine and Jeff Fahey's terrifically scarred Donny are engrossingly delivered. Dean Paul Martin, Bernie Casey and Dwight Koss provide fine support.A well-devised and at times innovative film that kept me entertained, even with the structure's creeping ambiguity.
gridoon "Backfire" is a reasonably well-made little thriller. Consistently interesting and well-paced, it keeps you guessing all the way. But when "everything" is gradually revealed, the whole thing doesn't add up to anything really extraordinary. And the ending is somewhat muddled; maybe some further explanations would have helped us to set everything straight in our minds. An agreeably absorbing film, but don't expect TOO much....
Mindwarp A shell shocked Vietnam Vet (played by Jeff Fahey) is driven over the brink by his greedy wife (Karen Allen) and her boyfriend.Although the idea of this film is pretty interesting, and the cast is pretty good, unfortunately the script is not good enough to really make the story work. This makes the movie kind of predictable. Karen Allen chews up the scenery, and steams up the screen in a few nude scenes, as the greedy young wife born on the wrong side of the tracks in a small town.Overall this movie is worth a watch, especially if you are a Karen Allen fan, but not nearly as great as it could be.