csjlong
Nice review, Jim. But don't diss "Karate Kid." That's a pretty darn good bit of pop entertainment. 
As with most Mamet movies, I like individual scenes much more than I like the whole movie. Because he's such an idiosyncratic writer, he can craft some really brilliant scenes and then follow-up them up with real groaners. I have little interest in twisty double-cross thrillers like Mamet usually creates, but that's just a matter of personal taste.
Plotwise, there was one glaring problem (among others) that I couldn't shake. (SPOILER ALERT). When the woman fires off the cop's gun by accident, she somehow becomes convinced that she runs the risk of being charged with attempted assault. Why? The cop is the one who's responsible for leaving his gun out for anyone to grab. And she only picked it up by accident, so unless everyone present lied (and surely Mike wouldn't) she's guilty of nothing whatsoever. Considering that she's a lawyer, this really sticks out like a sore thumb for me. I'm willing to suspend disbelief, but not to accept outright stupidity.
As with most Mamet movies, I like individual scenes much more than I like the whole movie. Because he's such an idiosyncratic writer, he can craft some really brilliant scenes and then follow-up them up with real groaners. I have little interest in twisty double-cross thrillers like Mamet usually creates, but that's just a matter of personal taste.
Plotwise, there was one glaring problem (among others) that I couldn't shake. (SPOILER ALERT). When the woman fires off the cop's gun by accident, she somehow becomes convinced that she runs the risk of being charged with attempted assault. Why? The cop is the one who's responsible for leaving his gun out for anyone to grab. And she only picked it up by accident, so unless everyone present lied (and surely Mike wouldn't) she's guilty of nothing whatsoever. Considering that she's a lawyer, this really sticks out like a sore thumb for me. I'm willing to suspend disbelief, but not to accept outright stupidity.
