(Credit IMDb) U.S. Border Patrol agent Charlie Smith just wants to do a good job and provide for his wife. But between her demands for a more affluent lifestyle and the importuning of Charlie's partner Cat to take part in illegal activities in exchange for bribes, Charlie gets caught up in helping smuggle illegal immigrants across the Texas border. When one of them, a young Mexican girl named Maria, loses her baby to abductors who plan to sell the child, Charlie decides to take a stand for her and against the corruption he's fallen into.
The Border is a movie that is very tough to endure, and a chore to finish. I love movies with this subject, and I love Jack Nicholson and Harvey Keitel as actors even more, but this movie has nothing of note to really say that is good. The performances are decent, but the plot is awfully tough to take, while nothing really ever happens. We are treated to continuously boring dialog, Nicholson bickering with his wife over pools, money, Etc. When I read the storyline for this, I really thought it would be much better then it was. I didn't care for the characters themselves, and I was heavily disappointed when all was said and done.
Performances. Jack Nicholson is solid, but underwhelming, considering his talents. He is unlikable, and I didn't get the jolt I expected with someone of his character. He is supposed to go from corruption to our hero, yet I didn't feel that boost when it happened. Harvey Keitel is OK, but he really only plays side-kick to Nicholson.
Bottom line. It's dull, uninteresting, and under-performed. Considering my interest in Border Patrolling, this is a big disappointment, considering the talent involved. Not much too really recommend here. It's faded into 80's obscurity here, and it's one of the less talked about Nicholson films on his resume, for good reason too.
4/10
The Border is a movie that is very tough to endure, and a chore to finish. I love movies with this subject, and I love Jack Nicholson and Harvey Keitel as actors even more, but this movie has nothing of note to really say that is good. The performances are decent, but the plot is awfully tough to take, while nothing really ever happens. We are treated to continuously boring dialog, Nicholson bickering with his wife over pools, money, Etc. When I read the storyline for this, I really thought it would be much better then it was. I didn't care for the characters themselves, and I was heavily disappointed when all was said and done.
Performances. Jack Nicholson is solid, but underwhelming, considering his talents. He is unlikable, and I didn't get the jolt I expected with someone of his character. He is supposed to go from corruption to our hero, yet I didn't feel that boost when it happened. Harvey Keitel is OK, but he really only plays side-kick to Nicholson.
Bottom line. It's dull, uninteresting, and under-performed. Considering my interest in Border Patrolling, this is a big disappointment, considering the talent involved. Not much too really recommend here. It's faded into 80's obscurity here, and it's one of the less talked about Nicholson films on his resume, for good reason too.
4/10