KUFFS
A film review by Ken Johnson
Copyright 1992 Ken Johnson
100 min., PG-13, Action/Comedy, 1992 Director: Bruce A. Evans Cast: Christian Slater, Tony Goldwyn, Milla Jovovich, Bruce Boxleitner, Troy Evans, Leon Rippy, Scott Williamson
Bum Slater finds out that his girlfriend Jovovich is two months pregnant. Unable to handle the thought of getting married and having a baby, Slater skips out on Jovovich. He goes to see his brother, who is a rent-a-cop in San Francisco and owns his own district. Slater's brother gets killed by a hitman. Slater inherits his brother's district and sets out to find the hitman and make him pay for what he has done.
KUFFS is a wonderful film for those people who like action films but yet don't want them to be too serious, and for people who like to go out for a good laugh. On a zero to five scale, I give KUFFS a four. KUFFS is rated PG-13 for explicit language, violence, adult situations, and adult humor.
KUFFS is not Christian Slater's best film. In my opinion PUMP UP THE VOLUME has been Slater's best film (which received a five on my scale). Slater's worst film has been TWISTED (which I gave a three). KUFFS comes in between these two films. In his career, Christian Slater has played a variety of people; a skateboarding punk (in GLEAMING THE CUBE), a brilliant psychotic kid (in TWISTED), a teenager in need of help (HEATHERS), an outlaw (in YOUNG GUNS 2 and ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES), a rebel (in PUMP UP THE VOLUME), and now a cop (well, it had to come around sometime, didn't it?)
Milla Jovovich, the Russian supermodel, has been in one film so far, RETURN TO THE BLUE LAGOON. I have not yet seen RETURN TO THE BLUE LAGOON so I can't comment on her performance. She put in a very good performance in this film. She does, however, take second stage to Christian Slater, who is obviously the main draw to this film. All of the actors in this film did a very good job. Tony Goldwyn is Slater's short time partner and is basically around for comic relief so Slater doesn't have to cover the entire film. And is that fat cop Robbie Cultrane? I missed the name in the credits.
KUFFS is a very inventive film. It has come up with what is probably the most hilarious use for subtitles in the movie industry. KUFFS also blows away those bleeps used to cover up foul language on television.
KUFFS is not a strict comedy like NAKED GUN 2 1/2. It does have its share of the laughs though. Likewise, KUFFS is not a strict action film. On how popular KUFFS is with audiences I really can't tell you. KUFFS opened on Friday and I saw it on Sunday night. There was a total of eight people in the theater, but those eight people seemed to have enjoyed the film.
So, for a very inventive film that is well worth going to see, definitely don't miss this film. It is worth $6.50, or whatever the ticket price where you are.
Ken J.
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