I was truly disappointed with this picture. De Niro and Penn were cast right . It was the way they played their characters that was "out of character" for them! They both underplayed their roles as dim-witted convicts and to me , that hurt the picture immensely. I'm so use to seeing them completely annihilate a role with their raw intensity that seeing them barely acting or acting not in their "norm", just ruined it for me.
Still it was great to see these two legends act together. Demi Moore as Molly was a little better. As a tough single-mom trying to make a living for her and her deaf-mute child. She over acted but it was okay. She was a little more believable than De Niro in their scenes. Had De Niro acted like he should have, he would have blown away Moore in their scenes. Another thing that for me didn't ring through was Moore's and De Niro's so-called chemistry. There wasn't any! No sparks, no nothing! A big yawn! So the ending does not ring through at all for me.
Hoyt Axton as Father Levesque was great casting. He looked the part and his scenes rang true with me. The late Bruno Kirby as a guilt-ridden deputy was a little amusing. Again I found it hard to believe he and Demi were "getting it on" It was more amusing to me to see Kirby and De Niro in the same scene and envisioned them from way back in The Godfather:Part 2(1974) as Young Corleone and young Clemenza.
The late Ray McNally, who by the way this film is dedicated to in memory, did a great small role as the warden. He was intense and no BS in his pursuit of the escaped cons. James Russo as 'Bobby' the main bad-guy convict was brilliant. He oozed evil personified. Reminded me of James Remar's Ganz from 48Hrs (1982) Yes he over acted but it was necessary since both De Niro & Penn were so underplaying it.
And last but least, Wallace Shawn as the translator and John C. Reilly as the young monk entranced and impressed with Penn's 'Father Brown', were excellent. So all in all these bit character actors made the film better than the main stars! What a shame because had Sean and Robert act the way they naturally do, they would have blown away everyone and stolen the picture. Oh well...there is always the original with Bogart,Ray and Ustinov.
Still it was great to see these two legends act together. Demi Moore as Molly was a little better. As a tough single-mom trying to make a living for her and her deaf-mute child. She over acted but it was okay. She was a little more believable than De Niro in their scenes. Had De Niro acted like he should have, he would have blown away Moore in their scenes. Another thing that for me didn't ring through was Moore's and De Niro's so-called chemistry. There wasn't any! No sparks, no nothing! A big yawn! So the ending does not ring through at all for me.
Hoyt Axton as Father Levesque was great casting. He looked the part and his scenes rang true with me. The late Bruno Kirby as a guilt-ridden deputy was a little amusing. Again I found it hard to believe he and Demi were "getting it on" It was more amusing to me to see Kirby and De Niro in the same scene and envisioned them from way back in The Godfather:Part 2(1974) as Young Corleone and young Clemenza.
The late Ray McNally, who by the way this film is dedicated to in memory, did a great small role as the warden. He was intense and no BS in his pursuit of the escaped cons. James Russo as 'Bobby' the main bad-guy convict was brilliant. He oozed evil personified. Reminded me of James Remar's Ganz from 48Hrs (1982) Yes he over acted but it was necessary since both De Niro & Penn were so underplaying it.
And last but least, Wallace Shawn as the translator and John C. Reilly as the young monk entranced and impressed with Penn's 'Father Brown', were excellent. So all in all these bit character actors made the film better than the main stars! What a shame because had Sean and Robert act the way they naturally do, they would have blown away everyone and stolen the picture. Oh well...there is always the original with Bogart,Ray and Ustinov.