Taxman

Rating:
Summary: Well done cultural thriller
Review: A solid piece of work from unknown director Avi Nesher, this casts Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix, Bound, Memento) as a federal tax investigator who teams up with rookie Puerto Rican cop Wade Dominguez (City of Industry) to crack a case involving massive tax fraud in the huge Russian community located in Brooklyn, New York.

The two make an intriguing pair. Dominguez shocks the tax investigator, as well as the audience, by speaking excellent Russian, and Pantoliano is just world-weary enough to know that there is a whole lot of corruption going on behind the scenes--and provides a film noirish running commentary on his thoughts through the story. But this works well; the commentary is definitely not overdone, and in fact, it provides a welcome added layer that substantiates Pantoliano's character.

Michael Chiklis plays Andre Rubakov, the genial Russian owner of a group of gas stations who is being threatened by Casey Siemaszko's Abrasha Topolev, a slimy Russian gangster. Elizabeth Berkley does much to make up for her disastrous outing in Showgirls as Andre's beautiful daughter, and Robert Townsend is the harried but ultimately helpful Asst. DA who helps the investigating pair track down the real culprits--who've committed murders as well as tax fraud.

This is a very good film that unfortunately got poor distribution; it definitely deserves to be seen. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: I was so surprised
Review: I was surprised. What a great film. Not only was the film Direction exceptional, but the actors were just amazing. I couldn't believe that was Elizabeth Berkley. What a great performance. She played a perfect Russian.

You've got to see this one!

Rating:
Summary: This is an amazing movie
Review: Joe Pantoliano blew me away - I'd bet the bank on this guy! The movie is about a simple tax collector who, through the course of tracking a tax skimming operation involving the oil industry, proves the depth of the simple, honest yet somewhat (if not often) deranged man. I stopped everything that I was doing when this movie was on the toob and I was transfixed. Wade Dominguez is brillaint as his stuttering NYPD sidekick. This is a movie to be watched over and over - it's got that much gerth!

Rating:
Summary: This is an amazing movie
Review: Joe Pantoliano blew me away - I'd bet the bank on this guy! The movie is about a simple tax collector who, through the course of tracking a tax skimming operation involving the oil industry, proves the depth of the simple, honest yet somewhat (if not often) deranged man. I stopped everything that I was doing when this movie was on the toob and I was transfixed. Wade Dominguez is brillaint as his stuttering NYPD sidekick. This is a movie to be watched over and over - it's got that much gerth!

Rating:
Summary: eh...
Review: Not sure what everyone is raving about. I watched this movie once, and I was left feeling that they just made a movie for the sake of using some extra film. I thought, "I'll watch it again, maybe I missed something." The second time was no better than the first. I suppose all genres have their followings, but I see no point in this movie. There was no real suspense, the characters, while believeable to a point, are unlikable, and the basis of the movie, a tax collector and a rookie cop, seems sort of [weak] to me. It seems like they threw in the russian mafia as an afterthought. While I was running on the treadmill, someone popped the movie in again, and I couldn't escape the 3rd watching w/o stopping my workout, so now I've seen it a total of 3 times and it's still just as pointless to me.

I'm not saying it's a bad movie. I'm just saying it's the cinematic equal of room temp water.

Give it a try. You might find it more enjoyable than I did.

Rating:
Summary: Best Character Study I have seen since the 70's
Review: This movie rocks! The craft of filmmaking is at its absolute best in this wonderful film about a man whose life is unraveling as he tries so desperately to give it some meaning. There is an Al Benjamin in all of us! The acting (Joe Pantoliano, one of the industry's best, and Elizabeth Berkley in a startling performance), the cinematography -- whic ultimately means the direction of the film -- are superior to any movie I have seen in years... Why wasn't this HUGE at the box office? If you missed it (since it was only released in the major cities), rent it or buy it today! (OR check it out on HBO like I did).

Rating:
Summary: Best Character Study I have seen since the 70's
Review: This movie rocks! The craft of filmmaking is at its absolute best in this wonderful film about a man whose life is unraveling as he tries so desperately to give it some meaning. There is an Al Benjamin in all of us! The acting (Joe Pantoliano, one of the industry's best, and Elizabeth Berkley in a startling performance), the cinematography -- whic ultimately means the direction of the film -- are superior to any movie I have seen in years... Why wasn't this HUGE at the box office? If you missed it (since it was only released in the major cities), rent it or buy it today! (OR check it out on HBO like I did).