Palmetto (1998)

reviewed by
Jamie Peck

PALMETTO Reviewed by Jamie Peck

Rating: *** (out of ****) Columbia / 1:50 / 1998 / R (language, violence, sensuality) Cast: Woody Harrelson; Elisabeth Shue; Gina Gershon; Chloe Sevigny; Tom Wright; Michael Rapaport Director: Volker Schlondorff Screenplay: E. Max Frye
The characters in "Palmetto" collectively sweat enough to fill Lake Erie, and it's just the right way to capture the film's ripe atmosphere of sensuality, tension and even farce. This humid Florida-set thriller nurtures a modestly absurd edginess that often winks at itself, which is very much a good thing since the actors and director are in on the joke. As far as set-up is concerned, the movie is nothing we haven't seen before, but be patient -- "Palmetto" spins some pretty wicked story twists that we really don't see coming. It's not a classic by any means, but it sure is quite an engaging surprise.

Harry Barber (Woody Harrelson) is fresh out of prison, where he's served a couple of years for a crime he didn't commit. Even though he harbors animosity towards the obtuse local officials, Harry's first order of business is to return to his home town of Palmetto to be with his sculptor girlfriend Nina (Gina Gershon). While searching for work, he catches the eye of Rhea Malroux (Elisabeth Shue), the mysterious sexbomb wife of a Palmetto millionaire. Rhea proposes a scheme that'll get Harry $50,000 easy -- to play a small part in the staged kidnaping of her jailbait stepdaughter Odette (Chloe Sevigny). "You do like risks, don't you, Mr. Barber?" Rhea alluringly coos. Boys, form a line behind me.

Part of "Palmetto"'s success can be attributed to the performance of Elisabeth Shue, who demonstrates here that her Oscar-nominated turn in "Leaving Las Vegas" might merely be foreshadowing great things to come. Shue's a seductive, campy delight, and pulls off a Barbara Stanwyck-Gloria Swanson combo with admirable relish. The other actors form a solid ensemble around her, including Sevigny ("Kids"), tantalizingly slutty as a teen tease, as well as the ever-likeable Gershon, cast a far cry from her extreme roles in "Bound" and "Showgirls." Harrelson is still doing fine follow-up work to "The People vs. Larry Flynt."

"Palmetto" does have its share of grievances. Harrelson's narration is needless, I suppose, and Gershon's Nina cries to be meatier than she ultimately is. One of the plot's unexpected angles -- that Harry is asked by the police to become the press liaison for the very crime in which he's involved -- could have been played a little better. There are moments when you question the tone, but it's never so unstable that it deserves the reproach it's been receiving from most other critics. If "Palmetto" didn't want to be laughed at, would it really have tacked on a climax that plays like a live-action "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"?

Although a few elements can be questioned, the movie works well on its own terms. Thanks to a juicy cast -- especially Shue -- and the nifty material approach from director Volker Schlondorff (you remember him from last summer's suddenly re-popular "The Tin Drum," right?), everything runs smoothly. And for fans of revelation-heavy endings, this film's got a few shocks in store that I won't even dream of revealing. "Palmetto" is a generous amount of fun to watch, and that's all you need to know.

© 1997 Jamie Peck E-mail: jpeck1@gl.umbc.edu Visit the Reel Deal Online: http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~jpeck1/ "Suggestions, please, for the fourth movie in the series. How about ‘Look Who's Talking Back,' in which the audience gets its turn?" -- Roger Ebert on "Look Who's Talking Now"

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