NIGHT FALLS ON MANHATTAN
A film review by Peter W. Ely
Copyright 1997 Peter W. Ely
Screenplay and Direction by Sidney Lumet. Starring Andy Garcia, Richard Dreyfus, and Lena Olin Capitol Square and Brittania 6 [14 adult entertainement].
This film, by the great Sidney Lumet is almost certain to disappoint. It is a confused collage of cliches and improbable scenes, implausable story line, and simply bad casting that results in a movie that is not worth viewing unless you are ready to laugh your way through the last 90 minutes of the film.
Do you believe that a lawyer fresh out of law school could within one year, successlly prosecute a kingpin drug lord being represented by a brilliant defense attorney (Dreyfuss), and subsequently be asked by the mayor to run for the office of chief district attorney, win, and then undertake a massive shake up of corrupt police services, all the while establishing a relationship with another lawyer who seemingly only wants to cook eggs for him and to have sex with him? How about a judge who tongue in cheek is party to the falsification of evidence?
Funnier than the implausible script is the myopic development of badly casted characters from the hypomanic buffon (Andy Garcia) who stands on tables, desks, or bars to rant vitriole whenever more than six people are present in a room to jailed drug lords who present to trial in snappy blue suits rather than in standard prison issued clothing. You may also be amused by the other characters in this flop; for example, the character played by Andy Garcia's father, who would make a more convincing septogenerian rather than a late fifties cop near retirment.
Sidney Lumet has made some brilliant movies in his time, but this character study is not vintage Lumet. Rather, is seems to be from the Mr. Magoo school of character development.
I was looking at the reviews in the newspaper today. Rex Reed of the New York Observer reportedly described it as "One of those rare movies with impact and insight."
Bruce Williamson of Playboy reportedly wrote: "Night Falls' has grit and intelligence."
Mike Cidoni of ABC-TV reportedly wrote: "Powerful! Truly Triumphant."
Larry Ratliff of FOX-TV reportedly wrote: "Sidney Lumet scorches the screen."
Tonight, I discovered that even though I have not written a movie review since my undergraduate years in University, the aforementioned "movie critics" have nothing to teach the masses.
Save your money. I predict that this dud will experience a core meltdown before the end of May 1997.
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