CHAIN OF FOOLS
US, 2000, 98 minutes, Colour
Steve Zahn, Salma Hayak, Jeff Goldblum, Elijah Wood, David Cross, Tom Wilkinson, Orlando Jones, Kevin Corrigan, David Hyde Pierce, Lara Flynn Boyle, John Cassini, Michael Rappaport.
Directed by Traktor (Pontus Lowenhielm, Patrick von Krusenstjerna).
Chain of Fools is a rather absurdist comedy, full of eccentric characters and relying on a great number of coincidences.
As with all chain stories, there is an initial focus, leading to another character, to a situation, to the character… And the final focus on that central character.
In this film, it is Steve Zahn as Kresk, a barber who has a chance encounter with criminal who has stolen valuable coins, a struggle and an accident with scissors in the thief’s neck, phoning a friend, dispose of the body, the detective, the initiator of the robbery, a young hitman, another hitman, a cross-dresser who works in the hospital…
One of the great strengths of the film is in the varied cast, Zahn doing his usual thing which is always enjoyable, Salma Hayek as a detective who also does Playboy photo shoots, Jeff Goldblum is the robber, Elijah Wood as a teenage hitman, Tom Wilkinson as the British businessman who engineered the robbery, Michael Rappaport as a rival hitman.
It serves as an undemanding and amusing entertainment.
1. A comedy of the absurd and coincidences?
2. New York City, the barbershop, the world of the hitmen, the world of the wealthy, hospital, the bridge, police investigations? The musical score?
3. The inventive screenplay, different times and different perspectives intercut?
4. Steve Zahn as Kresk, the narration, his story, character, as a barber, his friendship with Andy, the clashes with his ex-wife, his situation, the temptation, hearing Avnet and the phone call, the scissors, the consequences, the encounter with Kolko, connecting with her? In love?
5. Avnet, his role, the coins, robbing them? His technique? The phone call to Bollingsworth? Flashbacks, his being commissioned? The phone call in the barbershop, the scissors, his being stabbed, reviving, Kresk and Andy moving the body, hiding it? The home of his ex-wife? Avnet and his escapes – and finally dying?
6. The ex-wife, nasty, going on the trip, with her analyst, despising Kresk, her return, her complaints?
7. Mikey, his age, the young hitman, his story of the death of the senator, the different versions, the real version? His quoting it to clients? The commission to kill Avnet? The encounter, his room, with Miss Coco? The clash with Kresk and Andy leaving? His failing in his commission? Paulie, the links, the contacts? Kresk and his coming to interview him? Going to the hospital, encountering a hitman, the clash, Bollingsworth as the target for both? The shootout in the corridor? The return, the agreement, comparing notes and careers? Sympathy for each other, the hard life, making ends meet? Becoming friends?
8. Bollingsworth, his prissy assistant, the conversations with his arrogant partner, the information about the Calling Is? His making the decision, hiring Avnet, Avnet’s disappearance, not having the coins, going to the bridge, to kill himself, in the river, saved by Kresk? In hospital, Mikey and the assassin both trying to kill him? His waking up, his death?
9. Kolko, the Playboy photos, Avnet interested, Kresk having the copy? The role as a detective, interviewing Kresk, the attraction? The doing her job, visiting the different crime scenes, with Miss Coco in the hospital, the truth, and her yielding to temptation and keeping the coins with Kresk?
10. Andy, with the scouts, tough attitudes, the sister and her nephew, Kresk having to mind him, misbehaving, swallowing the coins, playing tieups with Andy, Paulie and co arriving, the nephew and his techniques, tying them up? The showdown – and the mutual shooting? The need for passing the callings?
11. The coins, the toilet, the coins in the river, the fish – and throwing it away? The nonchalant ending – finding true love and crime not paying?
