COHEN AND TATE
US, 1988, 86 minutes, Colour.
Roy Scheider, Adam Baldwin, Harley Cross.
Directed by Eric Red.
Cohen and Tate is a brief, offbeat thriller written and directed by Eric Red (writer of the cult classics The Hitcher, Near Dark) collaborating with Kathryn Bigelow, as he did with her police thriller Blue Steel. This film is reminiscent of The Hitcher, the opening and the conclusion taking place in daylight, most of the film being a long night's journey into day.
The film could also be compared with The Hitcher since so much of it takes place on the road, has a crazy driver, has a young person terrorised - this time the very effective nine-year-old Cooper Huckerby. The film highlights the shrewdness of the child responding to the dangers and growing up, even outwitting the hired gunman. Adam Baldwin presents one of the weirdest screen crazies. Roy Scheider is the ruthless hired killer, ageing, sending money to family, dependent on his hearing aid - ruthless but with something of a soft spot for the young child they have had to take. The ending, while violent, also gives an emotional jolt in his care for the young boy.
The film shows the transference of state witnesses, especially the young boy who has seen a Mob murder. The cover is penetrated and the hired killers murder the family and kidnap the boy. Most of the film is the journey from Oklahoma to Houston.
Melodramatic, with a touch of the horror story - but quite effective in its way.
1.Thriller? Violence? The focus on the criminals rather than on the police? The audience's emotional response to the characters, the situations, the dangers, the resolution?
2.The stylised opening with the Oklahoma farm and its isolation? After the information given about Travis Knight and his witnessing the murder? The American road and highway, at night, cars and trucks, diners and service stations? Police blocks? Houston in the early morning? Musical score?
3.The title, echoes of the buddy films - and the irony that these buddies are hired killers who clash with each other and fall out?
4.Travis, young, the tension with his parents, the FBI agents, the agent looking at his watch - the cutting off of the phone and the coming of the killers? Travis running out with the dog, the agent dead? The killing of the agents, the shooting of the father, terrorising of the mother and her death? His return, taken by Cohen? The emotional impact of this opening? The later news of the father's survival, Travis using this as a threat - and some home at the end?
5.Travis, the little boy, the impulse to get the dog, the effect of his parents' deaths? In the car, sleeping, trying childish manoeuvres, learning to play Cohen against Tate and vice versa? Tate terrorising him? Fears, sleep? His ability in running away, across the freeway? Caught again? The policeman, the policeman's death, the false alarm with the old lady in the car, the policeman ignoring him and getting shot? The clash with Tate, Cohen shooting Tate and putting his body in the boot? The later reappearance, his running away, the confrontation between the two? His signalling with his eyes to the service station man - and the man's death? The bond with Cohen, talking about Tate, making him suspicious? Giving him back the hearing aid? The final terror? Cohen's death? His future?
6.Roy Scheider as Cohen: age, steely ruthlessness, direct killings? His code, working alone, irritated by having Tate with him? Tate's hysterical behaviour, stupidity, pointing the gun, etc? The bubble gum, the radio? Cohen's reaction against him, fulfilling the letter of the contract? Bringing the boy back? The pursuit, the killing of the policeman? The roadblock and his icy ruthlessness in getting them through? Taking the car of the passer-by? Travis's concealing the map? His anger with Tate, shooting him, the irony of Tate with the vest? Their fight, his losing his hearing aid, dependence on it? His protecting Travis, Travis giving him the aid? The ruthless killing of the service station man? Going into Houston, surrounded, asking the boy's age, hearing that he was nine, shooting himself? The irony of his posting the money to family? Portrait of a killer?
7.The contrast with Tate, young, big, bullying, his mania - the splattered insect, the run-over animal, his enjoying death, the physicality of death, noise? Threatening the boy? Clashes with Cohen? The fights, the pursuit, inability to catch Travis? Going to sleep? The final clash with Cohen and his being shot, reappearing out of the boot, the fight, Cohen's shrewdness in luring him to death at the end? Portrait of a crazy?
8.The policeman who picked up Travis, kindly, giving the information? Not believing Travis and being shot? The importance of the information given on the radio - and its unsettling effect on Cohen and Tate? Cohen thinking that the mission was bad? The police at the roadblock, obeying orders, not taking any risks? The passer-by and his car taken after being bludgeoned? The service station man phoning? The police at the end?
9.The parents, the tension in their situation, the FBI agents, at home, the mother weeping, pretending for Travis's sake? The meal? The shootings?
10.A nightmare journey, the shrewdness and survival of the boy, the code of the killers, the Mob, the portrait of each man, each man's death?
