In the city, death is a way of life.
The police have three bookies under surveillance, but they escape and set up shop elsewhere. By chance, one of the police finds them; instead of turning them in, he demands money that his brother, now a suicide, had lost to them. An odd guy named Leon (John Turturro), not entirely compus mentus, knows one of the bookies, brings them a tip on a sure thing, and they bet the farm. Meanwhile, Leon has befriended a kid in the next apartment whose mother is abused by her husband, who himself is carrying on some mysterious thievery. The cop, the bookies, the thief, his wife, and Leon's mistakes and good heart all come together in an ending with murder and money.
Also starring Michael Badalucco as Charlie, Amy Brenneman as Annie, George Dicenzo as Jerry, Paul Diomede as Cheddar Fry, Ryan D Gerber as Micky, Scott Glenn as Iggy, Joe Paparone as Vinny, Elizabeth Perkins as Sue, Jimmy Smits as Mike, John Spencer as Ed. Written by Paul Diomede, directed by William Devizia.
Special Agent Matti
White trash loser crim tries to play in the big league and fails in a hail of bullets, coarse language and pithy epithets. You've seen it before and you'll see it again before you head off to the big craps game in the sky.
Better than most but nothing to write home about.
MA 15+ (Medium level coarse language, medium level violence)
88 minutes (1:28 hours)
VHS rental: 21 March 2001