GUN SHY
US, 2000, 101 minutes, Colour.
Liam Neeson, Oliver Platt, Sandra Bullock, Jose Zuniga, Michael De Lorenzo, Andrew Lauer, Richard Schiff, Paul Ben- Victor, Mary Mc Cormack, Mitch Pileggi, Louis Giambalvo.
Directed by Eric Blakeney.
Gun Shy did not get much cinema release in 2000. It is a Liam Neeson vehicle rather than a Sandra Bullock vehicle (she produced and gives herself something of a supporting role). Nor is it the kind of romantic comedy that people might have been expecting with Sandra Bullock. It is more akin to the Robert De Niro- Billy Crystal films, Analyze This and Analyze That. This time it is a DEA operative who is having something of a nervous and emotional breakdown.
Liam Neeson has something of a flair for comedy as the DEA officer, joining a men’s group with a psychiatrist and discussing his case while simultaneously planning a sting so that he can arrest big drug dealers, Colombian drug dealers and local criminals. Oliver Platt enjoys himself as a standover man – but who has a soft heart, an Italian who really wanted to be growing tomatoes. Jose Zuniga and Michael De Lorenzo are the Colombians, secretly in love with each other. Andrew Lauer is an opportunist, a plant by the arch villain, a DEA official, played by Mitch Pileggi. Richard Schiff and Paul Ben- Victor are amongst those in the psychiatrist’s men’s support group.
The film has sometimes a frantic touch, sometimes a romantic touch with Liam Neeson and Sandra Bullock, sometimes some very comic touches with the basic premise of the breakdown of the official as well as his planning the sting.
The film was written and directed by Eric Blakeney, prolific writer of television material in the 1980s. This is the only film he directed.
1. A blend of romantic comedy and police thriller? The psychology background?
2. The American cities, the DEA, police, hotels, gangsters, restaurants and venues for meeting, the home show? The touch of realism? The score?
3. The title, its relating to Charlie and his experience and breakdown?
4. The opening, the camera tracking through the airport, in the toilet, Charlie rehearsing his fears, the puzzle of the cleaner? His talking to Lonnie in his imagination? On the plane, his stomach trouble, meeting the psychiatrist?
5. The black humour, the sick DEA officer, the visuals of his trauma, physical and psychological? His trauma with the gangster, the watermelon, the death of his fellow agent, the raid? His nightmares?
6. The session with the psychiatrist, his anxiety? The psychiatrist’s sympathy, inviting him to join the men’s group? The four men and their personalities, issues, with bosses, with anger management? Experiencing put-downs? Charlie letting them in on his own situation? The effect – and the consequences when they disguise themselves as FBI agents?
7. The DEA authorities, the boss and his control, the irony of his being the criminal? Lonnie, discussions, faith in Charlie, the support, getting the information about Jason Cane? The boss discovering this, the rendezvous, picking him up, killing him?
8. Charlie and his work, eighteen years, enjoying it, the effect of the trauma, his reprimanding his shadow agent for being able to be seen? The connections?
9. The plan and the deals, Fulvio and his wife, Jason organising the deals, his Wall Street background? The Colombians and the boss sending his son to prove himself? The various meetings, the arguments, the loss of temper, agreements? Charlie and his being calm, even sleeping with Fulvio’s gun aimed at him? Fulvio admiring him? The Colombians trusting him and agreeing? The discussion with the boss, with the boss, his believing Charlie, the reverse psychology tactic?
10. Judy, the medical background, the bond, treating Charlie, the relationship, the affair, helping him, throwing the pills out? The home show exposition, meeting the gangsters and their wives in the restaurant? The finale, the FBI agents?
11. The expo, the dream house, the group all at the show, Elliott almost blowing Charlie’s cover, Elliott hitting him, getting him in the taxi? The wife’s reaction? Explanations in the group, Elliott explaining how he lost his temper, his wife leaving him? The others and their conversations, the drink after the meeting, their collaborating to save Charlie?
12. The plan, the warehouse, each side showing the money? The plan behind the plan – and the boss trying to organise the deaths of those concerned and steal the money?
13. Fulvio, Italian, his grandma rebuking him, his becoming a standover man, his uncontrolled anger, shooting the Colombian in the groin? His wife taunting him, his father-in-law? His admiration for Charlie?
14. The Colombians, at the meetings, Jason bringing the girls, protesting about having the family, the gay relationship with the guard, his being shot?
15. Jason, smooth, making decisions for others and continually being put down and told not to?
16. The plan and the exposure, the shootings, the fake FBI and the rescue, the Colombians swimming to safety, Fulvio escaping with Charlie?
17. The real FBI, the capture of the boss and Jason?
18. Sailing away to happy ever after – and Fulvio growing tomatoes?
