MAD DOG AND GLORY
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Running Length: 1:40 Rated: R (Nudity, sexual situations, language)
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Uma Thurman, Bill Murray, David Caruso, Mike Starr, Kathy Baker Director: John McNaughton Producers: Martin Scorsese and Barbara DeFina Screenplay: Richard Price Music: Elmer Bernstein Released by Universal Pictures
Wayne, or "Mad Dog", as he's called (Robert DeNiro), is a cop who has never fired his gun. When he saves mob boss Frank (Bill Murray) from death at the hands of a common thief by using talk to diffuse the situation, Frank feels compelled to reward Wayne for saving his life. So he gives Wayne a gift in the person of Glory (Uma Thurman). She is, in essence, his property and at the end of a week he expects her back. At first, Glory is an unwanted presence in Wayne's life but, as the days go by, he realizes that she's what he wants more than anything else.
MAD DOG AND GLORY is a film that takes a lot of chances, from its choice of director to the roles played by two of its three leads. While the casting against type works strictly on the basis of the strengths of the actors, Martin Scorsese's hand-picking of John McNaughton (HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER) may not have been the best decision. McNaughton was brought on board the project to give it a "different feel". That is certainly achieved, but not necessarily for the betterment of the movie. MAD DOG AND GLORY has an extremely uneven tone. The dark moments are not dangerous enough and the more uplifting scenes lack a much-needed lightheartedness.
At times, the writing is also suspect. Too often, the film stays at arm's length from the audience, keeping emotional involvement to a minimum. While attempts are made to create three-dimensional characters, the people in this picture never seem more than half-developed. The love affair doesn't take up enough screen time to be vivid, and the relationship between Wayne and Frank never gels.
It's difficult to write a romance that isn't sappy and in that, MAD DOG AND GLORY is a success. The putrid, silly dialogue of such films as UNTAMED HEART is thankfully absent. These people at least say and do intelligent and reasonable things. Although I felt something was missing from this film, I was never insulted by it.
Not since his abysmal performance in RAZOR'S EDGE has Bill Murray tried to play it straight. His job in MAD DOG AND GLORY is deserving of mixed reviews. He is competent--and sometimes quite good--but his character never comes across as forcefully as it should have. This may have been as much the fault of the script as anything else, but it would have been interesting to see how Al Pacino (who was originally offered this role but begged off to do SCENT OF A WOMAN and GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS) would have interpreted Frank. So, while Murray has improved since RAZOR'S EDGE, he still has a distance to go.
Robert DeNiro is effective in an unusually restrained role. In MAD DOG AND GLORY, the actor's energy has been internalized, and this helps Wayne seem more real than anyone else. Uma Thurman is capable of better work than the scope of her character allows. She does what she can with the role, and turns in a good performance, but it's a shame to consider what might have been had the script given her more to work with.
The "gem in the rough" is Mike Starr's Harold. Perhaps the only character that clicks all the time, Harold is exceptionally funny--a sensitive big guy who says the most unusual things--but is never portrayed in such an over-blown manner as to be no more than comic relief. It would not be too far off the mark to say that character actor Starr (whose previous credits include GOODFELLAS and THE BODYGUARD) steals most of the scenes that he's in.
Overall, MAD DOG AND GLORY is a mixed bag. What's on the screen is entertaining, but I often felt that I was only seeing half the movie--the more interesting portion, perhaps, but still only half. MAD DOG AND GLORY was heavily edited, so part of the fault could lie there, but the final result is not wholly satisfying. It works, but not as well as it could--or should.
Rating: 7.4 (B-, **1/2)
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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