Such a frustrating disappointment

Pretty Good

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Great Film overall

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.

Viewed: January 7, 2010I disagree with the mediocre reviews of this film here. People are over analyzing and unhappy with it's unconventional open ending. "The Underneath", is a kind of film that separates the popcorn entertainment crowd from the serious and studied film enthusiasts. A story does not always need to have a neat and tidy ending, wrapping all plot points up, to be good. This is an art film, about character, circumstance and mood, not a popcorn entertainment movie for the masses.A charming drifter with a gambling problem returns to what he feels is home, for the occasion of his mother's second wedding and attempts to reunite with an old girlfriend. He becomes involved in a love triangle, then a crime, to help rescue his old girlfriend from a seemingly bad new marriage. The film is about a present day armored truck robbery and told entirely in flashback: all the people and circumstances that lead up to it. Daniel Fuchs and director Soderbough, under the ghost writer name (Sam Lowry), wrote the screenplay to the film. It's a well observed, insightful character and relationship study, of people mixing together in bad circumstances and the inevitable and inescapable outcome that results.This is very much a director and writers film. Both are very good. Director Soderbergh, "Sex, Lies and Videotape", 1989, is well in command most of the time, effectively setting up and executing scenes of mood and uncertainty. Creative cinematography, involving unusual camera angles, framing and color are frequently used in the film, for a film noir (mystery) look.The sequence in the hospital near the end is especially effective, creating a sense of fear, worry, uncertainty and dread. The most interesting and engaging aspect of the film is, the audience is never certain who can be trusted and for how long, in this complex web of human desire and fear.I haven't seen this film since it was first released theatrically in 1995. My favorable impression still holds after a long delayed second viewing.

I find 'The Underneath' to be a 'weird' movie, and I don't mean 'weird' in a good way. It's weird in a negative way, it just doesn't make sense in some parts, like the stranger in the hospital, or the hidden agendas of everyone in this movie.I think the scriptwriter wanted to make this a cool-twisted thriller, but it came out as a mashed up incoherent drama.Peter Gallagher was good and William Fichtner even better, but they were not enough to save this movie from being boring and incoherent. Too bad Elisabeth Shue didn't have more scenes and we didn't get to see more of Adam Trese's character which left more questions than answers.I suggest you watch this movie only if you have nothing better to do.

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.