(69%) A precision made crime drama that tells its very neat plot with a fine degree of characterisation and thought. The cast only consists of four different people, each adding an integral part to the movie, and once the main intention of Philip Baker Hall's character is let out there's not a lot else to be told in what is a very low key movie. The cast is pretty faultless, even the sometimes too bland Paltrow gives a good performance, but this is Hall's movie as he is one of the coolest older men ever to feature in a movie. Scriptwise this is watertight, with every section finely crafted, and the movie has aged well in nearly 20 years. Without doubt this is worth tracking down, but it does lack the substance required to make it a true classic.
Review of Hard Eight
