WELCOME TO COLLINWOOD
US, 2002, 86 minutes, Colour.
William H. Macy, Isaiah Washington, Sam Rockwell, Michael Jeter, Louis Guzman, Patricia Clarkson, Andrew Davoli, Brett C. Leonard, George Clooney, Jennifer Esposito, Gabrielle Union.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo.
Welcome to Collinwood is a short caper thriller with many touches of comedy. It was written and directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who worked mainly in television but moved to feature films and directed You, Me and Dupree with Matt Dillon, Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson.
The film has a very strong cast, a group of character actors who work well together – with a cameo appearance by George Clooney.
The film is familiar in many ways. It was based on the classic Italian I Soliti? Ignoti of 1957, directed by Mario Monicelli. (The film was also adapted for American screens by Louis Malle in Crackers during the 1980s.)
William H. Macy portrays a father of a young baby – and his wife is in prison and he wants to get money to get her out. Isaiah Washington is a suave African American. Sam Rockwell is Perrot, a would-be boxer. Michael Jeter, Tony Award-winning star of Broadway musicals, is an old man down on his luck. Louis Guzman is Cosimo who gets the information about the heist that will be perfect. Patricia Clarkson is his girlfriend. Also in the cast are Jennifer Esposito who teams up with Sam Rockwell and Gabrielle Union who teams up with Andrew Davoli who also is part of the plan.
The film moves rapidly, spends a lot of time developing characters, shows them behaving stupidly in the robbery situation – and ultimately failing. I Soliti? Ignoti means the usual suspects but implies that they are never found or caught.
1.An entertaining caper heist story? Quality of production, performance?
2.The American city, the rundown atmosphere, Collinwood – and the title?
3.The strong cast and their interactions? The dark colour photography? The musical score, the range of moody songs?
4.Cosimo, the car, Toto warning him, the police, running, Cosimo arrested, in jail, his attitude, surly, with the old man and listening to his story, the safe, the perfect crime? Rosalind and her visit, the tension between them, her wanting to be married, have a wedding ring, his promise? His wanting a stand-in to take his place so that he could get out and participate in the robbery?
5.Rosalind, her personality, relating to Cosimo, credible? The job, trying to get the substitute? Going to the group? The preparations, Cosimo getting out, his dying – and her grief? Pulling out of the robbery?
6.Toto, his age, memories of his wife, wanting a bigger gravestone, in tatters? Helping out Cosimo with standing guard, the police arriving, his trying to get Cosimo away? The commission to get the stand-in? Finding Perrot? Basil and his refusal? Discussions with Perrot? In preparation for the robbery, the plans? The doubts, his being down and out, his trousers, his fear of heights, falling into the room from the window with Leon? The participation in the crime, his fear of heights, his having to be carried? Getting the water – as they burst through the wall?
7.Riley, the baby, his wife in jail, the baby as his focus, getting Rosalind to look after it? His complaints, breaking his arm? Taking the pills? His angers at the failure of the crime?
8.Leon, black, suave, his care for his sister Michelle? His attack on Basil for his relationship? Basil and his explanations, getting a job, Michelle wanting somebody respectable, his pulling out of the robbery?
9.Perrot, his being asked to be the stand-in, his going to court, his performance and failure, in the jail yard, Cosimo confiding the details of the plan to him? His boxing career? His taking charge? The meeting with Carmela, taking her dancing, the discussions, information about the apartment, getting the keys, returning them for Carmela? His concern about her many boyfriends? Dancing with her, falling in love? Her return to his apartment – spoiling the preparation for the robbery? Her story of the two ladies – their deciding not to leave, their finally leaving?
10.Jerzy, George Clooney’s cameo performance, as a tutor, giving them the information – and the scene where he was dressed as a rabbi?
11.Basil, his refusal to be a stand-in, his needing the deposit for Jerzy, going to the nuns, their better loan rates than the gangsters? Meeting Michelle, the relationship with her?
12.Cosimo, in jail, his escape with the collapse of the warder, his getting out, confronting the group? The brawl and his death? Everybody sad at his funeral?
13.The police, watching, confronting the group? The officer finally taking the bribe – and Perrot and his persuasive talk about how difficult it was to be a policeman on the beat, with a wife and four children?
14.The details of the plan, the safe, filming it to get the combination, Jerzy giving them instructions, the machines? The old ladies moving in? Carmela the maid, Perrot and his getting the information? The night of the robbery, the mix-ups in the apartment? Getting into the building, the water, the heights? Breaking down the wall – and moving into yet another room? Finding the money in the jar?
15.The decision to give the money to Riley – and everybody parting on good terms?
