Underworld (1996)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Roger Christian

Writer (WGA):

Larry Bishop (written by)

Release Date:

9 May 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

Sometimes revenge is the best therapy.

Plot:

After spending seven years behind bars, Johnny Crown is back on the street, with lots of cash, a psychotherapy...

Plot Keywords:

Psychological Drama | Mass Murder | Massacre | Father's Day | Independent Film

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Denis Leary	...	Johnny Crown / Johnny Alt
Joe Mantegna	...	Frank Gavilan / Frank Cassady / Richard Essex
Annabella Sciorra	...	Dr. Leah
Larry Bishop	...	Ned Lynch
Abe Vigoda	...	Will Cassady
Robert Costanzo	...	Stan
Traci Lords	...	Anna
Jimmie F. Skaggs	...	Smilin' Phil Fox / Todd Streeb
James Tolkan	...	Dan 'Iceberg' Eagan
Heidi Schanz	...	Joyce Alt / Simone
Cristi Conaway	...	Julianne
Angela Jones	...	Janette
Michael David Simms	...	Mitch Reed
Amy Moon	...	Ava
Marc Baur	...	Leo

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong language and violence, and for sexuality.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Alphacine)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:13 | UK:18 (video premiere) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Trimark Pictures

Quotes:

Mitch Reed: How you doin'?
Frank: Swell. Who are you?
Mitch Reed: Excuse me, did you ask "how" am I or "who" am I?
Frank: "Who," not "how."
Mitch Reed: Don't wanna know "how," just the "who."
Frank: Right, just "who". FORGET "how."

Heavily misunderstood comedy!

This is one of the best black comedies that I have ever seen!

Oh, it's highly, highly, highly underrated!

I've found the tape in action and in drama, but never in comedy, where I feel that it belongs!

Take for example the first scene involving the Red Car: Slow buildup, absolutely bloody execution, glass and flesh everywhere; and then an approving nod and the gunner exclaiming in nonchalant fashion "This is gonna be the best goddamn father's day I've ever had."

It doesn't stop there. We have the execution of a beyond-amazingly beautiful girl (Traci Lords) for nearly nothing other than a bored antagonist's whim; we don't even really know if she's suspected of cheating on him... he's just... bored.

Add to this a hilarious bar scene that might begin something like "a bunch of assassins walked into a bar..."... they're tired of waiting, so they clean their guns... they're bored at the delay, so they shoot the bottles; they're frustrated at their employer's procrastination, so they pull out automatic weapons and unload on the bar, the bartender... and finally the outright hilarious shot of the scariest of them putting a gun to his head: they shoot each other.

Yes, it's terribly violent; yes, it's not for everyone. But this is the one of the most fabulously overlooked films ever! Awesome!

Check it out, but ignore the section you found it in.