Amazon.com

With vanity projects like 1989's schlocky Lock Up to his credit, it's a wonder Sylvester Stallone survived to make some better movies in the '90s.This is a brutal dose of macho action that Stallone squeezed in between Rambo III and Rocky V, and his fans didn't seem to mind, so who's to judge? It's not as bad as Sly's other 1989 disaster (Tango & Cash), but you'd have to be demented, drunk, or have really low standards to call this a good movie. But if you're in a primal mood you'll get a kick out of this grimy flick, which would qualify as Z-grade exploitation if it weren't for Stallone's beefy presence as Frank Leone, a cooperative prisoner who's six months shy of parole when he's relocated to a hellhole called Gateway Prison. The wretched high-security facility is commandeered by Warden Drumgoole (Donald Sutherland), who is determined to settle an old score with Stallone ... and you can pretty much guess the rest. Director John Flynn didn't exactly distinguish himself with this one (he'd go on to direct forgettable fare like Out for Justice and Brainscan), but there's more visual style here than you might expect, and Sly manages to take it all so seriously that you can easily enjoy this gut buster as an unintentional comedy. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Make sure you have a spare key handy!
"Lock Up" features a strong cast with the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Donald Sutherland, John Amos, Tom Sizemore and Sonny Landham. Stallone portrays Frank Leone, who must serve the remaining six months of his sentence at a minimum security correctional facility. Leone's cell is ransacked in the middle of the night and is taken into custody against his will by security guards from a maximum security prison, where Leone is escorted and is promptly given the guided tour of hell. The viewer, as well as Leone, is then given an explanation of Leone's transfer, courtesy of one evil Warden Drumgoole, played by Sutherland. The tone of the movie is set upon Drumgoole's intense greeting: "Welcome to Gateway, Leone". It's payback time, according to the warden, whose administration was publicly humiliated by Leone, whom Warden Drumgoole makes sure never has another pleasureable moment during Leone's sentence. Leone's stay isn't entirely unbearable, for there are a few bright spots here, as our beloved convict-hero makes some fast friends in the prison autobody shop, with the likes of Eclipse (Frank McRae), Dallas (Tom Sizemore) and First Base (Larry Romano). It is here where these individuals share a common bond of friendship, including their love of cars, which is one of "Lock Up's" few tender moments. Ah, but there can't be friends without enemies, can there? Frank finds his enemy at a prison football game, where he is brutally roughhoused by one Chink Weber (Sonny Landham). Things don't get any easier for Leone, as he is constantly belittled and brutally assaulted by Drumgoole's staff. Overall, this is a strong film, with some believable characters, although the plot in certain spots is somewhat weak and unbelievable. For instance, I find it hard to believe that a prison autobody shop, such as this, displays little or no security, as well as a large maximum security prison, like this one, being overseen by just one warden, who, out of hundreds and hundreds of inmates, is so obsessed with just one of them. I'm sure the warden has other responsibilities to be concerned about, which I'm sure are many. But, the one good thing about watching a film of this caliber is that the warden's obsession with one man builds an intense climax that leaves the viewer on the edge of his/her seat the entire length of the movie, thus craving more substantial thrills and dialog. "Lock Up" contains all of the above, and is one film you're sure to come back to time and again. Plus, no other actor can bring more to an action-thriller quite like Sly Stallone, although "Lock Up" probably isn't his best role. That honor would have to go to his Rambo and Rocky roles. When viewing "Lock Up", make sure you have a spare key (and some refreshments) handy at all times, because you never know how long your stay of execution will last!

It's STALLONE for crying out loud!!!
Ok, so the guy who did the Amazon.com Editorial review calls the people who enjoy this movie demented, drunk, or having really low standards. Who says you have to take the movie seriously...just enjoy it; I think we all realize that what happens in this movie would never happen in real life, and that's what makes it so cool. I say Lock Up is one of Stallone's more memorable movies for me although it is one of his lesser known roles. This movie probably wouldn't be good if it were played by anyone other than Stallone, but it isn't so it's great. Stallone plays Frank Leone, a man serving a short and normal prison sentence, when he is suddenly and inexplicably sent to Gateway, a hell-hole of a prison, with the evil Warden Drumgoole in charge, played very well by Donald Sutherland. Drumgoole employs a bully named Chink, (played by Sonny Landham) to make sure Leone's time at Gateway is as unpleasant as possible. The most memorable moment in the film for me is when Leone goes after Chink when he crosses the line. On the front of the DVD one critic states, "A surprisingly human film." I must agree. You really start to feel for Frank Leone after he is given such a hard time, and you want to see him exact his revenge like only Stallone can.

Stallone just has a certain aura about him, ya know? Like he's almost not human, with larger-than-life characters like Rocky and Rambo in his name, but something more...maybe I am just, demented...but I think a lot of Stallone fans know exactly what I mean.

I like this movie
I was told that this was a bad movie and that it would be a waste of time to watch it, but I had to see for my self and form my own opinion.
I think this is very good movie, not like anything sly had done before (maybe that's why I like it).
I strongly recommend this movie to anyone with an open mind to judge it for what it really is and not for what it should be.

Flagitious Prison!
The icon known as Sylvester Stallone is an ideal prisoner who is unexpectedly transferred to the depraved warden Donald Sutherland's prison. I was scandalized when the police officers handcuffed Stallone during the middle of the night and drove him to the evil Sutherland's prison! Irate! Sutherland and Stallone had a troubled past and Sutherland was getting revenge. Oh, you know what happens when you mess with a legend. No mercy upon him! Stallone plays football with inmates, has a car destroyed, and he doesn't know who to trust. Stallone gets reprisal when his friend is murdered by Sonny Landham (crazy guy from "Predator"). Stallone tries to break out of prison and got his hands on the sadistic Sutherland. Electrifying! Stallone gives his most thoughtful performance since the Rambo trilogy. Almost golden.

Uh........no
No, no, no. Would I EVER watch this ridiculous movie again? No. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A virtual reality game that allows players to commit murders is the crux for the high-tech thriller Brainscan. Edward Furlong (Terminator 2) stars as a monster movie/video game fanatic who receives a CD-ROM that challenges players to carry out brutal killings. When Furlong discovers that the murder has also occurred in real life, he attempts to rid himself of the game, but its hideous "referee," Trickster (T. Ryder Smith), refuses to let him quit until he has eliminated all witnesses--including the girl he loves (Amy Hargreaves).A flavorless retread of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, Brainscanis undone by its principals' lack of interest in producing a suspenseful film. Director John Flynn offers little variation on its stalk-and-slash scenes, and Furlong gives a half-hearted performance, though some of that blame must lie with Andrew Kevin Walker's leaden script. Brainscanwill offer passing interest to only the most non-discerning Elm Street aficionado. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (31)

The Best Movie Ever? Wait Another Five Years, Boys!
If everyone on this page has given this movie five stars, then you're obviously no older than fourteen. Wait a couple of years and you'll see that your palette for films will dramatically change, and this movie will begin to collect dust among your choice favorites. I have to admit, I was once addicted to this film very badly, but now I know that Ed Furlong cannot even be called an actor. He is bland and lifeless in every role he's ever played with the exception of John Conner in Terminator 2: Judgement Day. What I did enjoy was the amusing characterization of the antagonist, Mr. Brainscan himself. Whoever played him was a great character actor, but this movie can definetely be classified as mere popcorn. A late-nighter for when there's nothing else to watch and you're desperate for entertainment. Or drunk...

Take me back!
Brainscan is one of those movies that not only entertains but has a specific "feel" to it. Sometimes refered to as a mood movie. Thanks to George S. Clinton, the soundtrack adds to this lonely, creepy mood. Is it scary? It has momments. Is it gory? Again, it has momments. Brainscan brings you into a world that you can immerse yourself in through familiarity. At a time when video games were becomming more complex and lifelike, it took the idea of "what if" and ran with it. Now, nearly ten years later this movie doesn't feel too dated. Not the most original story ever developed but the mood and performances of all characters involved makes this a fun hour and 1/2. Additionally I reccommend you check out the soundtrack which is a good mix of rock and underground grunge and of course a sample of the George Clinton instrumental that drives the movie. ...

Doesn't have to be great!
Let me make that very clear. Not everything we put in front of our eyes has to lace up and wear an neck tie to work. Sometimes it's ok to be lowbrow. I mean, JACKASS has a legion of followers, and the show does nothing more than devalue our sensibilities.

With Brainscan, we have a minor production about a boy whose reality is eschewed by a video game. It's over the top, and silly, but it's so much damned fun. I think it's a great movie for what it is. It's not Braveheart or Mystic River, but that fact shouldn't lessen the entertainment value of this cheesy horror film.

If you've purchased this flick on a whim, fear not, you will have a good time. This is the type of movie where you can sit back with a snack, a loved one under you arm, and your feet on the coffee table. A good movie that doesn't have to be great.

Enjoy.

braindead in the head,but the technolgy is cool 1 1/2 stars
brainscan is an interesting film of sorts. it offers a virtual reality setting, and some great special effects. but thats it. the plot revolves around an horror obsessed teen(edward furlong) long before he became widely known as the future resistance leader in james cameron;s t2, who loves horror,is president of the horror club in school, he has a best friend kyle, and he amires the girl(amy hargreaves) next door to him. hes all alone, in a nice big house. his father is on a business trip,and things are just getting interesting for furlong, as he gets plunged into a videogame, that he found while browsing a video magazine. its called of all things,brainscan, and offers the player limitless possibiltiesles of what the player will pursue, will you be an investigator,doctor, dentist or something more purely evil?.
what brainscan developed for its time in 1994 was a chance to offer a wide broad of possibilties and to show off his great technolgy of effects, before computer animation was even achievied. and for that is interesting. while it sure lacks a few things in the horror area a bit, it does offer the viewers a chance to become whatever they want in life,although actually not becoming it. as in this case ,furlong is chosen to be a murderer. what will he do, how will he do it, and will he survive?
brainscan offers alot of possiabilties, but in the end, is a fun movie,but,atlas, not a great film. the plot is ok,but thers not enough punched to actually tell something more. is more of a visual effts film, with that being said,enjoy it for what it is. it was cutting edge when i first saw it back, in 1994,but the basis of plot is not to be taken serious. its a horror film,but a fun horror movie at that. although I can said I would recommend this film, right out. it does have its moments to it. a nice scenery, a beautiful next door neighbor, but my rating then on what i give it still stands,on what i gave it.its not a really bad film, but more as a misguided one.and for that, i leave to the viewer to chose.

and i hate horror movies
when michael finds himself interested in a cd rom game called brainscan out of fangoria he gets more than he asks for. his life is soon over taken by trickster, a punker styled out monster who uses michaels subconscious to kill random people through a video game. when body parts start showing up around the house michael realises that hes got to stop trickster and the game before everyone he cares about ends up dead. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Unusual plot!
The movie has a very unusual plot, although this plot is maybe not always believable. But the main attraction here is James Woods playing a villain. Brian Dennehy, his partner, is also up to the task, but he is here the same as he was in many other movies - tough guy. James Woods performance really makes you to forget some weaknesses in the plot and not to pay much attention to bad acting by other actors. Overal, great treat for James Woods fans and good enough thriller.

James Woods gives heart to his portrayal of a killer
If you're not a James Woods fan, you wouldn't understand, but bear with me:

This movie is really a story about the redemption of the assassin Cleve, played by Woods. The characters in the movie are given little depth by the writers, but the stars give heart to this film. I was most intrigued by the performance of Woods. Most actors play assassins as raving psychotics, (and typically Woods is no exception) but Woods takes the character of Cleve a step further. Seen in the beginning of the film as a savior to the best selling author and cop named Dennis played by Denneghy, Cleve at first shows a cool exterior and one wonders if this will be yet another Woods' film where he simply gets to shoot a lot of people. But when the character of Cleve comes to life, Woods shows his depth as an actor. Cleve's cool exterior and successful career as an assassin masks a tangible vulnerability as Cleve tries to come to terms with his life, wanting himself to be seen by the public as "sympathetic" in Dennis' "best seller." (You see this at the very end of the film where Cleve has to make a decision: get final revenge on his boss Matlock or save Dennis's teenage daughter). The ending is worth every minute of the background 80's synth music.

Cleve doesn't feel guilt in the murders he's committed for the cupidity of the company; as Cleve says matter-of-factly, "It's the profession I was in, Dennis." This streak of sociopathic deeds combined with an obession for verbal politeness was an interesting mix that I found intriguing. (One tongue-in-check example is after Cleve saves Dennis' life, he places a card on Dennis' windshield with the simple message: "Say thank you!")There were many great scenes like that throughout the film, making you wonder if you should hate Cleve for what he's done, or pity him, even like him, for who he wants to become. Watching the complexities of Woods' character slowly unfold was well worth the money. This film is excellent, especially if you are a James Woods fan.

A TRUE SLEEPER
I FIRST CAME ACROSS THIS GEM WAY BACK IN THE 80'S ON THE ADVICE OF THE VIDEO STORE OWNER. AS I WATCHED IT I KNEW IT WOULD BE ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES. JIM WOODS PORTRAYS A SMOOTH, VICOUS UTTERLY AMORAL KILLER WHO MANAGES TO SLIT THROATS AND BREAK NECKS WITH OUT WRINKLING HIS ARMANTE SUITS. BRIAN DENNEHY PLAYS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN AS THE HONEST HARDNOSED COP RAISING HIS DAUGHTER ALONE AFTER THE PASSING AWAY OF HIS BELOVED WIFE. JIM WOODS AS EX-HITMAN CLEVE CONTACTS DENNIS MEECHAM, PLAYED BY DENNEHY, OUT OF THE BLUE AFTER SAVING HIS LIFE IN A SHOOTOUT AND THEN DISAPEARING. CLEVE THEN USES DENNIS TO WREAK REVENGE ON HIS EX-EMPLOYER DAVID MATLOCK BY WRITING A FACTUAL ACCOUNT OF HOW MATLOCKS COMPANY "CAPPA INTERNATIONAL" WAS STARTED BY THE THEFT OF MONEYS FROM A POLICE DEPOSITORY. THE SUBSIQUENT ODDESY AS CLEVE TAKES SGT. MEECHAM THROUGH A MAZE OF INTRIGUE AND MURDERS SLOWLY CONVINCES A SKEPTICAL COP THERE JUST MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO THIS AFTER ALL. AS THE FLICK PROGRESSES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COP AND THE CROOK TURNS TO A KIND OF UNEASY FRIENDSHIP WHICH SGT. MEECHAM WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE, BUT CLEVE KNOWS ANYWAYS. A MEMORABLE SCENE IN THIS MOVIE IS WHEN CLEVE APPEARS, UNEXPECTANTLY IN SGT. MEECHAMS PUBLISHERS HOUSE AS SHE ARRIVES HOME FROM A BUSINESS DATE. IF YOU DON'T THINK JAMES WOODS CAN BE CONVINCINGLY SCARY CHECK THIS SCENE OUT. CLEVE IS IN SEARCH OF A COPY OF THE MANUSCRIPT THAT MEECHAM IS WRITNG AND VERY CONVINCINGLY MAKES A BELIEVER OF THE LADY THAT SHE HAD BETTER GIVE HIM THE COPY IF SHE HAS IT, FORTUNATELY SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE COPY AND CLEVE BELIEVES HER, HE THEN ASSURES HER IF SHE TELLS MEECHAM ABOUT THEIR LITTLE MEETING HE WILL COME BACK AND "HURT YOU LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN HURT BEFORE". THE MOVIE PROGRESSES TO A SHOWDOWN AND RESCUE OF MEECHAMS DAUGHTER BY CLEVE. I LIKED THIS MOVIE SO WELL BECAUSE IT WAS BELEIVABLE. CLEVE AND MEECHAM EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO GO BACK TO WHERE CLEVE GREW UP AND MEET HIS VERY NORMAL SALT OF THE EARTH PARENTS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE A GOOD POPCORN AND POP MOVIE CHECK THIS ONE OUT IT DELIVERS A LOT OF BANG FOR THE BUCK AND RANKS RIGHT UP THERE WITH SOME OF THE BEST. ENJOY.

not just a thriller
If you like James Woods, this will definitely float your boat. Woods plays an ex-hitman, Cleave, for a large business situated in Los Angeles, which means you get to see him show his capacities to be smooth, calculating, and also emotionally explosive. While this movie is put in the action category, as it should be, its plot unfolds itself by slowly revealing the machinations of a corrupt and powerful business, that Woods' character is trying to take down for having gyped him at some point in his service. Throughout this development, the movie plays the characters of Woods -the cunning and dangerous hitman- and Dennehy -a just but temperamental cop- off one another. As you can guess, Dennis, the cop, continually suspects Cleave of having some dark secret or another cold trick up his sleeve. This movie's ability to display how Dennis communicates and cooperates with a criminal, who he despises, is what takes this movie beyond bare action and into a fascinating portrayal of personalities caught in the larger struggle of enforcing justice on mega-corporations.

One of the Best From Woods and Dennehy
James Woods and Brian Dennehy both shine in this thriller about a cop/author who teams with a psychotic killer in order to bring down an organized crime figure.

It is fascinating to watch the interaction betwwen the two leads. Dennehy knows that Woods is a cold-blooded killer yet he uses a combination of physical presence and intestinal fortitude to keep the the smaller Woods in line. Woods' character actually tries to befriend Dennehy but one is never sure that he won't snap and kill Dennehy at any moment.

This is an excellent film and a showcase for the talents of these two fine actors. I hope a DVD version will be released but until then it's VHS only. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Steven Seagal has always been an awkward action hero. Initially, he hada certain amount of credibility thanks to his nebulous association with secret government agencies and mastery of aikido, which helped to excuse his bad acting. But as a self-righteous action hero in the vein of Schwarzenegger and Stallone (which helps to explain his bad acting), Seagal fell into unintentional self-parody faster and more dramatically than either of his two predecessors. In Out for Justice, Seagal plays Gino Felino, a Brooklyn-born cop known and respected by everyone--both good and bad--in his neighborhood. The worst of the neighborhood baddies is Richie Madano (William Forsythe), a crack-smoking killer who murders his partner and terrorizes the neighborhood. Technically, Felino is a terrible cop--touching evidence at murder scenes, stealing evidence, intimidating witnesses--but only by breaking those rules can he bring in this horrible criminal. As his soon-to-be-ex-wife discovers, he does everything because he cares too much. Julianna Margulies (ER) has a small but thankless role as Richie's hooker girlfriend, and Gina Gershon (Face/Off, Bound) has an equally thankless roleas Richie's foul-mouthed, bar-owning sister. The movie plays like a vanity piece for Seagal, and in that vein, it is fascinating to watch. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Acting? Hell, No. Action? Hell, Yeah!
First of all, this movie is not getting five stars for its acting, its plot, its writing or its cinematography. Those basically don't exist. This film is about action, not acting, though some of the cast occasionally slips up and really does act, especially people like William Forsythe and Jerry Orbach, who apparently can't entirely help themselves. "Out For Justice" is a Steven Seagal vanity piece, plain and simple, and doesn't pretend to be anything else. In that sense, it succeeds in its purpose admirably well.

Seagal portrays yet another hero sporting a ponytail to hide his emerging bald spot. His traditional squinty-eyed grimace is used at all appropriate times, namely whenever he's trying to convey emotion, whether it be outrage, anger, sorrow, affection or desire. It's great how the viewer is left constantly guessing as to how poor Steven feels; it's highly doubtful that even he knows, so how can he be expected to show it to others? Acting is not this guy's forte, and it really shows when he's in a scene with real talent like Orbach or Forsythe. Those poor actors just don't know how to roll over and play dead so Steven can really shine. Not to worry, though, because it's in the fight scenes where Seagal gets to flex his muscles---on his body, not his face---and there's nobody who can kick tail quite the way he does.

There's no sense describing the plot, which is as flimsy as wet toilet tissue, but there's plenty of mayhem for those who like their action movies hot, bloody and raw. The film bogs down whenever Steven's character tries to make nice, such as in the scenes where he's chatting with a puppy. Fortunately, such interludes are few and far between, and do little to distract from the main point of this movie, which is to show off Seagal's creative use of expletives, martial arts and found objects like pool cues and meat cleavers. No, this is definitely not a chick flick or an intellectual exercise designed to make the viewer think; what it is, is action, designed for the testosterone crowd. Go into it with very low expectations of it being anything other than an adrenaline rush and you'll be fine. A good movie to watch with beer and chips---just don't look for it to be anything remotely like "Under Siege" and there'll be little disappointment.

a power house. pure adrenaline.
FIRST HE WAS ABOVE THE LAW. THEN HE WAS HARD TO KILL. THEN HE WAS MARKED FOR DEATH. NOW STEVEN SEAGAL IS OUT FOR JUSTICE. HE IS A COP. IT'S A DIRTY JOB. BUT SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE. AND STEVE DOES. HE HAS TO TRY TO STOP A MADMAN WILLIAM FORSYTHE BEFORE IT IS TO LATE. VERY GOOD ACTION SCENES AND SEAGALS MOST GRAPHIC MOVIE. RATED R FOR STRONG VIOLENCE,STRONG LANGUAGE,AND BRIEF NUDITY.

ANOTHER ONE OF SEAGAL'S FILMS FROM THE GOOD OL DAYS
A BROOKLYN COP [SEAGAL] GOES AFTER THE MURDERER OF HIS PARTNER. HAS PLENTY OF GOOD ACTION TO SPARE AND IT HAS A VERY GOOD VILLAIN, WHO'S PLAYED BY WILLIAM FORSYTHE. THIS IS ANOTHER REMINDER OF HOW GOOD STEVEN SEAGAL'S MOVIES REALLY WERE BACK IN THE EARLIER DAYS OF HIS CAREER. SEAGAL FANS SHOULD DEFINITELY TRY TO GO OUT AND BUY THIS ONE. THIS IS REALLY WORTH OWNING.

Gino on a mission!!
This movie is definately action packed with it's share of violence. Steven Seagal is wonderful as a "Brooklin born" cop willing to go the extra mile to catch a killer. This movie is well written because it shows the viewers that even policemen have difficult jobs going after bad criminals, even if it is a friend. I thought that this movie was one of Steven Seagal's best!I would encourage any fan of his to definately add it to your collection!

That's for Bobby!
I find it appropriate to review this, one of Seagal's best films and a classic in the genre. His career now a shell of its former self, Seagal proves with 'OFJ' that he used to deliver the goods.

I used to think there wasn't much to making a good Seagal film. How hard can it be? But his recent efforts, which have gone straight to DVD, prove that some talent is required to make a satisfying rogue-cop-on-a-mission flick.

Seagal plays Brooklyn cop Gino Felino (I'm not kidding) whose partner is blown away on the streets (18th Avenue, we're told over and over) by the crack-smoking lunatic Richie, played with aplomb by William Forsythe. Using his acute knowledge of 'the neighborhood', Gino sets off on revenge, killing several dozen people before the suitably ultraviolent finale.

The film has many things going for it. Firstly, Seagal attempts a Brooklyn accent and an overall Brookln persona which is priceless to watch. Second, the violence is top notch. It starts off strong with a pimp being put through a windshield after insulting Gino's Italian-American heritage. The violence then escalates as Gino uses tried-and-true methods of interrogation such as the old cue-ball in the bar towel, shots to the family jewels, the snapping of wrists, and good old fashioned Smith and Wesson. Thirdly, William Forsythe is amazing as Richie, proving that he will throw himself into a role totally and completely. His fat man waddle, crazy crooked mustache, and berserker behavior make him a great villain. Think about it--Seagal versus a fat character actor doesn't sound like much, right? But Forsythe is game and makes the film fun to watch.

What else? The film is totally foul-mouthed, full of off color humor and a message that is morally dubious at best.

OFJ also has a crop of familiar faces. Jerry Orbach, plays ::gasp:: a cop. Gina Gershon appears as Richie's sister. John Leguizamo appears in a two second bit during a cheesy montage sequence. Julianna Margulies plays one of Richie's hook-ups. B-movie babe Shannon Whirry appears in a revealing outfit.

Highly recommended to the action fan. Required viewing if you hail from Brooklyn. ... Read more

Description

Sal abandons all loyalty to his mob boss as he enters thesafety of the witness protection program. He finallybegins a new life and a new job with real estate broker and neighbor, Ted. If the mob wants revenge, can Sal really escape his past? Stars Stephen Baldwin, Peter Gallagher. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Stephen Baldwin plays a detective riding the edge of burnout.His 6-year-old son was accidentally killed a few months ago, and the young Salt Lake City homicide cop is on the verge of becoming a basket case. A string of murders occur on his watch, all with the same m.o., and the pattern begins to look like that of a serial killer.As the detectives track down clues, a web of family neglect, abuse, and revenge begins to reveal itself. Director John Flynn also helmed two great '70s crime movies: the explosive Rolling Thunder (scripted by Paul Schrader) and the sorely underrated The Outfit. Flynn's directorial hand in Absence of the Good shows similarities to the other films; they all deal with emotionally damaged protagonists, and Flynn uses the deadpan tone of their performances to build tension. Like William Devane's character in Rolling Thunder, Baldwin's Caleb Barnes is much more than a grieving, emotionally numb wreck; he's a time bomb waiting for a chance to go off.The script has a painful, personal honesty in the scenes in which Barnes and his wife try to cope with the pain of losing their only child, and what it has done to them as a couple.Flynn also has an eye for taking rural scenarios and making them into white-trash American Gothics, infused with dread and blighted with derelict cars, trash heaps, and dilapidated trailers. Rising far above its made-for-cable origins, Absence of the Good is a first-rate police procedural/crime drama with well-fleshed-out characters and enough unpredictable twists and turns to keep you guessing.--Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (3)

TENSE AND INVOLVING
Stephen Baldwin redeems himself for his lackluster performance in MR. MURDER in this tense, and involving crime thriller. Baldwin plays a cop who has recently lost his son in a tragic accident; his wife (Shawn Huff) is having extreme difficulty in dealing with her guilt and loss. Baldwin plays it stoic, but he too is harboring the pain. When returning to his work, he and his partner (Rob Knepper) are called in on a case involving the hammering deaths of several people, all seemingly not connected. Baldwin, however, believes the culprit is a grown up who wants to revisit his childhood but going to all the places he or she lived. It's a tense, complex plot and well acted. Tyne Daly does her usual good turn as a psychiatrist, and the identity of the culprit is surprising.
Well done and very engrossing.

Hammers: Not just for nails
Absence of the Good is an above average movie in the serial killer genre that has a fairly clever script, good acting, and a strong lead (Stephen Baldwin).

The story centers around Detective Caleb Barnes (Stephen Baldwin) and his struggle to find a serial killer while trying to deal with the untimely death of his son. As the body count begins to climb Barnes finds himself trying to help his wife heal while remaining focused on the case. What follows is a well executed police drama with plenty of action and suspense throughout.

I wasn't sure if this movie was going to be any good when I rented it. I decided to take a chance and was pleasantly surprised. It kept me guessing and had a twist ending that a couch detective like myself had fun solving. I recommend this film.

Spectacular
Absence of the Good is definitely a thriller. If you like movies that keep you on the edge of your seat. While keeping you in suspense then you will love this one! The plot was wonderfully done, and you will never guess who the killer is and will leave you saying WOW! ... Read more