.com This remake of a 1947 film noir casts David Caruso (freshly escaped from TV's NYPD Blue) in the role originally played by Victor Mature. He plays Jimmy Kilmartin, a reformed criminal struggling to keep straight and keep his wife (Helen Hunt) from going back to the bottle. But a favor for his cousin lands him back in the clink, and when his wife dies, he comes out ready to make a deal with the D.A. He becomes an informant, joining the crew of Little Junior Brown (Nicolas Cage), a pumped-up, asthmatic psycho who weightlifts strippers for amusement. Eventually, Jimmy finds himself forced to keep his radar up for treachery from both the criminals he's finking on and the cops he's working for. This film, directed by Barbet Schroeder, didn't do much business, despite a powerful but controlled performance by Caruso and a scarily splashy one by Cage. --Marshall Fine
P**R
box has alot of wear however I dont care as ...
box has alot of wear however I dont care as long as it plays. I am just upset because I didnt see that it said VHS bc I was in DVD section so I thought anything I was looking at was in DVD format. I also thought it was free returns. The movie was $4 and I would have to pay $4.98 to return it so its not even worth it. Thankfully I didnt lose that much money on this error. I feel as though we should be able to return at least a couple of things every quarter lets say for free. Or if its under a certain amount of money it should be free return. This is in no way a reflection on the seller.
J**R
Oldie but Goodie
Said near the middle of this film by Nick Cage who was speaking about a song, this is an Oldie But Goodie. I seen this when i was a kid an own it on VHS but now needed it for my DVD collection. Great acting by David Caruso, Nick Cage, and Samuel Jackson. This is a ride of movie any crime movie fan would say is a must see. I give Amazons delivery service and the movie five stars and five thumbs Up.
M**C
Greta movie with great cast .. Must see if you like Gangsta films with a twist and good story ..
GReat flick with great cast and not your average script but very good movie .. One of my favorites where the cops and judges are almost or more corrupt than the bad guys .. One guy has to choose wisely or get sucked into the system by the system ... Love this movie ..
E**E
I enjoyed this story about a low-level
I enjoyed this story about a low-level, down on his luck thief who gets even with everyone who wronged him. The cast is superb, with outstanding performances by the leads. Not having seen the original, I cannot make any comparisons to this film. I would recommend this film to others.
M**S
Underrated Cable Classic
This film should be regarded much more fondly than it is;it follows Caruso, as he struggles for revenge against a merciless Little Junior, played by a menacing (and only halfway over-the-top) Nicolas Cage.The material is all treated very well, the cars, the prison stuff; it keeps you interested. People usually don't seek this movie out, but as you're watching it, it pulls you in, and you find yourself engrossed by the blunt drama of its gritty narrative.
T**G
David Caruso's Best Movie!
After his character in NYC Blues, he was stereotype. Then watching hiscareer slowly fade cause of type casting. Then KISS of Death comes along,which fits his persona. The part and character suites him well, along withNicolas Cage and Samuel L. Jackson. This is a great action film, along withgood verses evil and government. For a great movie of a pawn caught betweenthe Government and the Mob, check it out. You won't be sorry! Thank You
V**5
It was ok
Early nicolas cage movie wasnt really a leading actor. It was ok .
R**S
Very Good Action Movie
Good action, believable plot, and great acting. This is Nicolas Cage at his best over-the-top crazy man performance. My four star rating may be low, but it is not quite worth five stars.
M**Y
Entertaining
All star cast. I loved it. Did not care for one of the cast members, but that's just a personal preference. Will recommend it anyway.
B**N
Ok
Ok
C**N
Five Stars
super
S**O
Good but could have been so much better
The story is nothing out of the ordinary, a man who has had enough of the criminal underworld is dragged back in for one last job. Of course the job goes catastropically wrong and he ends up in more trouble than ever before.The movie is a little bit cop-centric and many of the characters are totally cookie cutter stereotype but having said that there are a few standout performances, chief among which is that of Nicholas Cage who plays one of the most frightening villains you will ever see. Cage's character is a quick tempered psychopath who will not hessitate to kill his own staff at a moments notice. Samuel L Jackson, normally so cool, plays a rather faint and pitiful charcater in this outin however, David Carruso plays his usual edgy, slimy and slighly unsettling role and to see Michael Rappaport, an actor who I despise, getting beaten to death was an added bonus !This film leaves a lot to be desired but if you leave your brain at the door, its watchable.
S**N
Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Kiss of Death is directed by Barbet Schroeder and collectively written by Ben Hecht, Charles Lederer, Eleazar Lipsky and Richard Price. It stars David Caruso, Nicolas Cage, Samuel L. Jackson, Helen Hunt, Ving Rhames, Stanley Tucci, Kathryn Erbe, Michael Rapaport and Anthony Heald. Music is by Trevor Jones and cinematography by Luciano Tovoli.Reformed ex-con Jimmy Kilmartin (Caruso) reluctantly helps out his cousin transporting stolen cars but gets caught and ends up taking the fall for the whole caper. Back in prison and missing his wife and child, Jimmy gets offered a lifeline if he is prepared to go undercover with the police to bring down psychotic crime boss Little Junior Brown (Cage).A loose remake of the excellent 1947 film noir of the same name, Schroeder's Kiss of Death is slightly better than the iffy reputation afforded it. Yes it's more solid than anything resembling truly compelling, but it wears its noir heart on its sleeve and is very well performed by an impressive cast.Caruso's Kilmartin is a classic noir protagonist, a man who tries to go straight but gets dragged into a world of crime and shifty undercover machinations after doing one honest intention favour. From the point he agrees to help out Ronnie Gannon (Rapaport a jumping bean performance), he loses what he holds most dear and continually gets pulled from pillar to post by everyone around him. He's basically a good guy that fate has dealt a deadly hand, even when he gets a second chance at happiness it's not long before the door knocks and he's thrust into a deadly undercover game where he will be lucky to escape with his life intact.A lot has been made of TV star Caruso's unsuccessful attempt at breaking into films, with some believing that his performance here is mostly to blame. Yet in the context of a noir protagonist his performance is perfectly good, in fact it's a very subtle turn that isn't short on brooding intensity. That he is overshadowed by the likes of Cage (wonderfully on full tilt overdrive as a nut-case) and Jackson (calm yet assured presence) is no bad thing, especially since both come with noir infected ticks (Jackson has a continuous weeping eye/Cage has a phobia about metal in his mouth). Caruso does good here, bringing the character to life without histrionics, he helps the audience understand his frustration as he spins in his vortex of disharmony.Nobody is done any favours by a screenplay that doesn't take chances, and at times it comes close to standing still in the mid-section, while the climax is a little underwhelming. But for a piece of pulpy neo-noir it has enough about it to make it worth a look. 6.5/10
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2 weeks ago
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