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Gun shy

Threat advisory: Elevated - Significant risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

They've been hit before, but never in the heart.

Legendary undercover DEA agent Charlie Mayough (Liam Neeson) has suddenly lost his nerves of steel. Although he's been involved in more drug busts than he cares to remember, his instinct for danger, his cool composure, and his iron guts - especially his guts - have finally failed him. The post-traumatic stress of his latest well-planned sting operation that went awry has shaken him to the core and he is now begging for retirement from his clandestine business.

However, Charlie is in too deep and has to fulfil one final, complex, covert obligation. On the verge of a career-induced mental breakdown, and in complete fear of trigger-happy Mafia leader Fulvio Nesstra (Oliver Platt), Charlie seeks psychiatric help and finds himself relying on the support of an unstable therapy group and nurse Judy (Sandra Bullock) just to get through his work.

Also starring José Zúñiga as Fidel Vaillar, Richard Schiff as Elliott, Andrew Lauer as Jason Cane, Mitch Pileggi as Dexter Helvenshaw, Paul Ben-Victor as Howard, Mary McCormack as Gloria Nesstra, Frank Vincent as Carmine Minetti, Gregg Daniel as Jonathan, Michael delorenzo as estuvio, Michael Mantell as doctor bleckner and Louis Giambalvo as lonny ward. Written and directed by Eric blakeney.

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

A good script that got passed up the line until some rich and famous people saw it and then went downhill.

Gun shy is a good little indie tale that would rock with a bunch of unknowns playing the lead characters. Unfortunately it has Liam, Oliver and Sandra. Don't get me - they're all competent - but their "star quality" overpowers the subtleties of the film. Liam is great as the flatulent undercover agent (a little flatulence goes a long way in comedy), he and Sandra have a buzzy on-screen vibe, and he makes Oliver seem talented, but he and they are all too big for the part (and parts).

[Coulda been, shoulda been, woulda been. You only get to review the movie you saw, not the one you wanted to make. - Director of Intelligence]

Ahem. Apologies for the interruption. Some people are possessed by technicalities while others are busy creating art.

[Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. Those who think they can but never did, critique. - Director of Intelligence]

Hey! Whose review is this, anyway?!? Go spell-check the Yellow pages.

This film is often funny and occasionally hilarious (especially the therapy sessions) but falls short of the mark. The potential evidenced in the cast and dialogue does not reach the screen, which is a shame, because it's good dialogue and the cast is completely adequate. [How's that, Director of Intelligence?]

[Completely adequate, Special Agent - Director of Intelligence.]

Gun shy is good for a bit of light entertainment on a really bad TV night - and there're a few of those each week - but that's about it. I am in a huff and refuse to write any more.