THE BAG MAN
US, 2014, 108 minutes, Colour.
John Cusack, Rebecca De Costa, Robert De Niro, Crispin Glover, Dominic Purcell, Martin Klebba, Sticky Fingaz, David Grovic.
Directed by David Grovic.
John Cusack is the bagman, a hitman for hire, in the employer of a wealthy, well-educated, gangster, Dragna, played by Robert De Niro, momentarily unrecognisable because of his Pompidou his style transforming expectations of his appearance. The film opens in a luxury plane, the gangster explaining a test case for the hitman, to collect a bag, delivery, be paid off – and the gangster preoccupied with full loyalties.
The bagman follows through with the mission, is shot at, kills his assailant and buries him, goes to the motel as required, with Crispin Glover giving an eerie performance as the motel manager, Rebecca Da Costa as a prostitute loitering outside the rooms, FBI agents arriving at being shot by Jack, a pimp and a dwarf also menacing. There are shootings, the issue of the bag, hiding it, the prostitute coming to Jack’s room, hiding from the pimp, the intervention of the police and some brutality and sexual violence. Eventually, the gangster arrives, Jack having proved his loyalty by not looking into the bag – then the revelation of what the bag contains, confrontation between Jack and the gangster, the intervention of the prostitute, shootings all round, and the eerie truth of what is in the bag.
However, this story has an ironic happy ending. It is a curious neo-thriller, with more than a touch of the weird. There is an unexpected lengthy explanation, visualised, of the whole setup of the test and scheme. The co-writer director, David Grovic, appears in the final sequence as the gangster’s lawyer.
1. Thriller, ported of a hitman, criminal power struggles, betrayals?
2. The setting, the initial flight, luxury, the action over one night, the eerie motel, rooms, surroundings? The police station? The combination the forest? The New York office and finale? Musical score?
3. The title, Jack and his role? Hitman? His relationship with Dragna? Interactions with his wife, her death? The discussion, Dragna wanting trust, the issue with the bag, not looking inside, collecting it, being paid? The meal and the cutting of the meat, the visualising of the deal? Robert De Niro, his appearance, Pompadour hair, manner?
4. Jack, a John Cusack performance, listening to Dragna, agreeing to the task, test of loyalty, to be employed by Dragna? Collecting the bag, being shot at, killing the shooter, putting him in the boot of the car? The hotel, the proprietor and his eerie manner, appearing from under the desk, Jack wanting room 13, no interconnections? The discussions, the payoff, connecting the phone? Dragna and his calls? Jack waiting, not looking in the bag?
5. The isolation of the motel, the FBI agents and Jack shooting them, finding their badges? Rivka, standing provocatively? The pimp, the dwarf, ominous presence? Looking for Rivka, her hiding in Jack’s room, the interactions, the discussions?
6. The police, the shootings of the pimp and the dwarf, of the motel manager, burial? At the police precinct, Jack handcuffed, hanging? Rivka and the sexual behaviour, the guns, the shootings?
7. Waiting for the phone calls, in a different room, Dragna arriving with his henchmen and the gun, the discussions, issues of loyalty, guns, shooting, Rivka wounded, Dragna and his explanation of the test, wanting absolute loyalty, the irony of Dragna and his literary quotations, explanations of his studies, choosing the criminal life? Ultimately opening the bag, the head of Jack’s wife? Rivka emerging, Dragna blowing up the hotel motel? The final shootings and Dragna’s death?
8. Rivka, going to the office, the video of the agreement, the revelation about Rivka and her role, as Dragna’s agent? Getting the money? And driving off with Jack?
9. Noir thriller – with more than a touch of the weird?
