Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Crwthod A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

DipitySkillful an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

gavin6942 A recovering gambling addict (Peter Gallagher) attempts to reconcile with his family and friends but finds trouble and temptation when caught between feelings for his ex-wife and her dangerous hoodlum boyfriend.I have seen the original movie ("Criss Cross") and rather enjoyed it. Possibly, this film is even better. I find that hard to say, because you really can't beat the classic noir, but Peter Gallagher is a powerful lead. The Soderbergh script is a little odd in the dialogue department, but at last he doesn't go full David Mamet. (Not to knock Mamet, it's just not very natural.) There are intriguing twists and turns here, and no one is purely good or evil. That, really, is what makes for the best noir -- the cast of seedy characters who can never be trusted, even if we (the audience) want to love them.

seymourblack-1 Steven Soderbergh's highly enjoyable remake of the 1949 film noir "Criss Cross" is a story about a group of characters whose interactions have a critical bearing on the outcome of a planned heist. The deceptions, betrayals and double-crosses involved complicate the already tense relationships between them and provide the basis for a variety of plot twists that ensure that the action never gets dull. The presence of a non-linear narrative, dramatic close-ups and shots within which the main protagonist is seen framed within a confined area, are all faithful to the classic film noir style and the inclusion of some strong colour sequences, not only identifies the time spans being depicted but also contributes to the movie's off-beat atmosphere.In "The Underneath" an apathetic drifter whose life has no orthodox focus finds that the resultant void within him is occupied by his most powerful obsessions and it's these obsessions that determine the directions that his life takes. Michael Chambers (Peter Gallagher) was a compulsive gambler who, in the past, ran up enormous debts that led to him having to leave is home and wife in Austin, Texas. Some years later, after having squared up all his debts and given up gambling, he returns to his hometown to attend his widowed mother's wedding.Michael's return isn't welcomed by his brother David (Adam Trese), who's a police officer. He despises Michael for not being around when his mother needed him most and also for not turning up for his father's funeral. David is also secretly hooked on Michael's ex-wife Rachel (Alison Elliott) and is resentful because he anticipates that Michael will try to rekindle his relationship with her. Rachel, who is now involved with a local nightclub owner and small time gangster called Tommy Dundee (William Fichtner) is extremely bitter about the circumstances under which Michael left and the problems that she subsequently had to face alone.Michael's future stepfather Ed Dutton (Paul Dooley) helps him to get a job as a driver in the armoured car company where he's employed but Michael's attention soon becomes concentrated on getting back together with Rachel. She's initially hostile to any reconciliation but later gives Michael some encouragement and they meet in secret. On one of these occasions they're discovered together by Tommy who's an insanely jealous psychopath. In order to extricate himself from an extremely dangerous situation, Michael quickly invents a story about a proposal to steal a large consignment of money which is due to be transported by his company. Tommy agrees to take part in the robbery but things don't go according to plan and after the heist, the number of betrayals and twists that follow bring events to a surprising and fascinating conclusion.Peter Gallagher successfully conveys Michael's consistent indifference to the feelings and needs of those who are closest to him and also portrays his character's selfishness and self-destructive nature very effectively. Alison Elliott draws a clear distinction between Rachel's personality as it was before Michael's enforced departure and the more embittered person that she became later. The supporting cast are also very good with William Fichtner making a particularly strong impression as the extremely violent Tommy.

jmillerdp Steven Soderbergh has announced his retirement from filmmaking. Well, Steven, how can we miss you if you won't leave? Please do. Because, your filmmaking over the past decade has been a series of seriously lazy videotaped "movies" and awful "Ocean's Eleven" sequels.Add to that, some of his films during his "prime" weren't so hot either. Case in point: "Underneath." This impossibly overwrought Southern Gothic nonsense is truly a joke. The characters here are all completely disposable. All they are in the film for is to be in an unending series of double crosses upon double crosses.Peter Gallagher's character is someone who you could never feel an ounce of sympathy for. He is surrounded by not one, but two complete psychopaths who are portrayed by scenery-chewing non-actors.Soderbergh was obviously embarrassed by this silliness as he used a pseudonym for his screen writing credit. Watch this and kiss an hour and half of your life goodbye!

Ron Reynolds This is a slow dreary movie. The main characters are unappealing and Peter Gallagher in the main role produces, in my view, a wooden performance. Best moments are the brief appearances of Joe Don Baker and Elizabeth Shue who both have a real screen presence.