Suprsinging thing about this movie is that it's being quite different from its predecessor with its setup. In this particular case that unfortunately isn't any good news.

At least the first movie still followed some stories, while this movie just feels completely improvised on the spot. No wonder, since it really was! It was shot in just 5 days, right after completing the first movie "Smoke". Sure, you could say it's being like a random slice of life but there at least should had been some more interesting developments and plot lines in this movie. It's mostly going nowhere and it doesn't even ever feels like the story is progressing in the first place. Just some characters rambling about random stuff. Just not my idea of a good or interesting movie.

In the original movie it besides followed plenty of characters, while this movie purely seems to focus on the Harvey Keitel character and the entire movie is set in- and right outside of his shop. There are still plenty of characters showing up in this though but this at the same time forms another problem for the movie; it's just too random. It's like watching a parade of celebrities walking in and out of the little cigar store, without truly leaving their mark on the movie.

So it's all in vein, that there are so many great actors showing up in this movie. Besides, while watching it, it also becomes painfully obvious not all great actors are great at improvising as well. I'm not sure how many hours of footage they shot but judging by this movie not an awful lot, or else more cuts would had been made.

It's not like I hated this movie though. It's just too short and too low-key for that. This movie never got made with the intentions to turn it into an award winning hit. It simply got made to obviously have some more fun, after finishing shooting "Smoke", in a more relaxed and free-form kind of way. It's never pretentious or anything and never annoyingly bad, or anything else along those lines. But really, if you liked watching "Smoke", that absolutely is no guarantee you are going to like this movie as well.

Perhaps only somewhat enjoyable and relevant if you live or have lived in Brooklyn for yourself.

6/10

To be honest, this wasn't a completely bad movie. It's a very typical and standard, run of the mill, crime thriller, involving a homicide detective that is hunting down a professional serial killer.

Perhaps this movie suffered from too high expectations or hopes but it really isn't one that does an awful lot wrong. But then again, it also isn't exactly one that's doing anything too amazing, surprising or original. It still remains perfectly watchable all, especially for those who are fond of these type of crime thrillers.

Thing that makes this movie a very bland and easy to forget one though is that it isn't a very involving movie. You don't ever really get into any of the characters or emotions of the movie and you most likely won't feel grabbed by the movie its story neither. It's not just because it's being something very standard all but also because of its somewhat lacking execution.

The movie was having some serious pacing issues at times and the movie seemed to be lacking a good buildup to certain moments. You could say that the movie is being too slow and meaningless at certain times and too fast at others. It glosses over a lot of things with its story, making this a mostly ineffective movie to watch.

Another thing I don't really like about the movie is the way it handles its villain. He is supposed to be a very experienced and calculated killer but yet all of this plans seem to be hanging together by coincidences and it just doesn't ever make any sense why he is after Alex Cross in the first place, right until the very end, which is a pretty standard and formulaic 'twist' for the movie though.

And really, it's not like Tyler Perry is a horrible pick for the movie its lead but it's definitely true that his acting makes him more suitable for playing secondary characters, or sidekicks if you will. And that's how his role feels like; it feels like you're watching a second rate actor playing a first rate role. It doesn't feel right and it lets the main character come across as a very uninteresting and lifeless one. But while he is not right for the role, he is not the main reason why the movie and its main character doesn't ever work out quite as well as intended. Blame the formulaic writing and standard directing approach for that instead!

It really is far from the worst thing you'll ever see but it's nothing to get very excited about neither.

6/10

Watch trailer

If you like a real character movie, in which the movie is foremost all about its acting and characters, this movie is a great one to watch!

It's a movie that follows multiple different story lines and characters, with each their own thing going on. They are not necessarily connected, other than through the Harvey Keitel character. And remember, this is a 1995 movie, so please don't expect an Alejandro González Iñárritu type of movie, with a frame narrative in it. It's from before that era, so it's not as slick and 'clever' with all of its different story lines and the way they are connect. It's a more slow and subtle done movie, that has a simple concept and takes a simple approach to it.

And nothing wrong with that, since it does indeed work out well for the movie. It's great to see the different story lines and characters slowly progress throughout the movie and to see where it's all leading up to.

It's about the little things in life really and doesn't attempt to make things bigger or more heavy than they needed to be. It does in a way let this movie feel as a feel good movie, though it's definitely still foremost done as a drama. It's a good thing that it keeps things light and humble, since this definitely improved the movie its entertainment and rewatchability value.

As you would expect, the movie gets mostly carried by its actors. And it really has a fine cast in it, with people such as Harvey Keitel, William Hurt and Forest Whitaker all involved. It's always great to see fine actors act, so that alone already makes this movie worthwhile.

It's definitely worth watching if this movie sounds like your kind of thing!

8/10

Watch trailer

Watch trailer

After Washington DC detective Alex Cross is told that a family member has been murdered, he vows to track down the killer. He soon discovers that she was not his first victim and that things are not what they seem. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Rob Cohen

Starring: Tyler Perry, Matthew Fox, Rachel Nichols and others

Current release date: October 19, 2012

(Review originally written at 4 May 2008)

What a shame that this movie turned out to be nowhere as good as it potentially could had been.

Problem is that the movie has a completely dull script. The movie leaves you constantly waiting for things to finally kick off but the movie its mystery is too simple and uninteresting and you can see the 'big twist' coming from miles away already. The movie its storytelling is also just too slow and done in a totally uninteresting way. It makes some of the characters and dialog come across as totally redundant.

The movie is made in an old fashioned noir type of style and way of storytelling and character handling. Yet however somehow this style never really pushes through and it's like the studio bosses said; No, let's keep this movie more mainstream. Director Robert Benton obviously understands the genre but it's like he for some reason is holding back or got hold back.

It still has the usual noir elements such as a grumpy main character with his flaws, a femme fatale and characters that are not how they seem they are. It also features a grim voice over at times from the main character but yet the movie does not really breath a typical film-noir kind of atmosphere. It's still a modern made and looking movie.

The movie is basically a waste of a fine cast. I mean when you have a movie with Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman, Reese Witherspoon, Stockard Channing, James Garner, Giancarlo Esposito, Liev Schreiber, John Spencer and M. Emmet Walsh, you could and should expect some more quality and fireworks. It however are still these very same actors that make this movie a worthwhile experience. It's especially refreshing for a change to have an old man as the movie's main lead. Paul Newman already was well in his 70's while playing this role. Yeah, the movie is well cast but yet some characters just don't work out due to the poor script and way of storytelling.

Watchable enough to see it once but no, not really a recommendable movie.

6/10

(Review originally written at 4 November 2007)

This movie surprised me how entertaining it was. It's simple like most other mismatched buddy-flicks but this movie has a certain bit of extra, which not in the least thanks to its fine solid cast.

Thank goodness it's not the type of comedy that forces its humor upon people. The comedy of the movie is more in the chemistry between Martin Lawrence and Tim Robbins. Yes, it sounds weird but Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence are really a great screen duo, with some nice comedy chemistry, that get themselves into some fun trouble when by coincidence embarking on a sort of road-trip together. Like in all road-movies, some crazy characters pop-up. The most sensational one's in this movie are being played by John C. McGinley and Giancarlo Esposito, who form a criminal-duo. The diversity of John C. McGinley as an actor is amazing. Just look at the list of movies he has done and the characters he has played.

But the greatest power of the movie is the chemistry between the two main actors and their individual comical skills. Tim Robbins is a great serious actors, who just happens to like doing comedies as well from time to time. But on top of that he also really has talent for the genre. He knows how the deliver the lines in the right way and knows how to time his moments. Martin Lawrence also has been the sort of comical-actor who fun with his dialog. As a stand-alone actor and when he needs to carry a movie on his own he just isn't good enough but when he teams up with another great comical actor (for example as was the case with Will Smith in "Bad Boys"), he's truly at his best and most fun to watch.

The story unfolded nicely and slowly. Nothing got forced and things just happened as they came along, such as always is the case in road-movies. It at the same time also makes the movie surprising, or at least not as predictable or formulaic as most other comedies. The movie has a couple of greatly build-up moments, some more subtle than the other, but always fun and in some cases even hilarious to watch. Look out for Irma P. Hall as Martin Lawrence's character's mother! It's true that the movie doesn't live up to its fine fast paced start but nevertheless the movie remains fun to watch throughout.

It's a movie surprisingly well worth seeing!

7/10