Safe Men *** (1998, Sam Rockwell, Steve Zahn, Harvey Fierstein, Michael Lerner, Paul Giamatti, Mark Ruffalo) – Classic Movie Review 2882

Writer-director John Hamburg’s 1998 comedy crime thriller is a splendidly rum brew. Sam Rockwell and Steve Zahn give effortlessly weird performances as pathetic, self-deluded, low-life crooks way out of their depth in the underworld of the local hoodlum Big Fat Bernie Gayle (Michael Lerner), who hires the two untalented singers after confusing them with major-league safe crackers in Providence, Rhode Island.

No film like this would be complete without an outrageous turn by Harvey Fierstein as Leo or quirky ones by Paul Giamatti as Veal Chop and Mark Ruffalo as Frank.

Christina Kirk plays Hannah, the hoodlum’s daughter who won’t date the men she knows are gangsters. And John Hamburg plays Philip.

The movie is funny in a perverse, very off-centre way, and written and filmed with lots of confidence and some brio by Hamburg.

Also in the cast are Allen Swift, Michael Showalter, Josh Pais, Raymond Serra, Ray Iannicelli, Ali Marsh, Jacon Reynolds, Peter Dinklage and Mark Shanahan.

Writer and director John Hamburg is known for Along Came Polly (2004), Meet the Parents (2000) and I Love You, Man (2009). He has been married to Christina Kirk since 24 September 2005.

http://derekwinnert.com/along-came-polly-ben-stiller-jennifer-aniston-classic-movie-review-1320/

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2882

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com