Alicia
I love this movie so much
Doomtomylo
a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.
Dana
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
msfindlay
Saw this movie on a free week of Showtime.
Never heard of it before (1995 vintage) but the title was sure intriguing.Almost a complete waste of our time. The writing has some high spots in the dialog, but the plot is hackneyed and not at all original. Jimmy is portrayed as this smooth operator, but hires a complete psychopath in his gang of 5. Guess who messes things up and gets them all (spoiler alert--I can't tell you what happens).The relationship with Gabriel Anwar has little depth or reason and not worth the screen time. Steve Buscemi is always fun, but not believable in the role here as a top notch killer--until he isn't. I would never show this movie to friends. Any dialog discussing the taste of turds is not for mixed company.
Miles burton
Thing's to do in denver when you're dead, stars a young Andy Garcia as 'Jimmy The Saint' who is given a job by Christopher Walken's character to bring him his son back to him before he gets wacked for feeling up children. On the way through this journey of finding his son, he hires a bunch of professional hit men to help him stop anyone who's in his way. It co- stars Gabrielle Anwar, a love interest for Andy Garcia. & the rest of the knock out cast includes Christopher Walken, William Forsythe, Christopher Lloyd, and Steve Buscemi. I would definitely recommend this film for anyone to watch, as i've seen it twice and it is really enjoyable to all. The director of the film is Gary Fleder (Kiss The Girls, Don't Say a Word) who does a fantastic job in putting together such a tremendous cast and movie.
justincward
TTDIDWYD is only of any interest if you look for the parallels with The Sopranos - the cast, the pseudo-realistic style, the whole 'being a mobster is no picnic' shtick. The opening scene particularly, following Andy Garcia driving through suburbia with a hard urban soundtrack, is very suggestive of the Sopranos' opening credits.Apart from that, TTDIDWYD isn't much cop. Andy Garcia fails to generate any sympathy - or anti-sympathy - for the character because the script makes him out to be a moron, Christopher Walken fails to convince on any level whatsoever, and the way that 'Jimmy the Saint' sets himself up for catastrophe is so obvious that you get impatient to see how it all goes wrong. "Let me be a cop, Jimmy!", says the super-flake Treat Williams. "Oh, all right then!", says Jimmy. "Idiot!", says the viewer.Only worth watching if you're a Sopranos fan wanting to see a sort of early failed attempt.
Spikeopath
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead is directed by Gary Fleder and written by Scott Rosenberg. It stars Andy Garcia, Christopher Lloyd, William Forsythe, Bill Nunn, Treat Williams, Steve Buscemi and Christopher Walken. Music is by Michael Convertino and cinematography by Elliot Davis.Jimmy the Saint (Garcia) is a ex-gangster who finds one of his debts has been bought up by his ex boss, The Man With the Plan (Walken). The Man wants Jimmy to assemble a crew to put the frighteners on a guy who stole the girlfriend of his son, Bernard (Michael Nicolosi), who has been so traumatised by the break up he has taken to "bothering" young girls. Calling on four of his old comrades in crime, Jimmy feels it's a simple job that will finally clear him of his gangster debt whilst earning his hard up pals some cash. However, in fighting threatens to destabilise the group and when the "job" invariably goes wrong they all have to deal with the vengeful aftermath of The Man With the Plan.You wanna throw those pathetic yuks some scratch, I applaud your sensitivity.One of a number of films that surfed in on the wave created by Pulp Fiction, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead is a nifty and potent picture at times, with sharp dialogue, moments of brutalising and a fire-cracker of a neo-noir finale. Yet it's hurt considerably by the ridiculousness of the set up. Film hinges on a "shake down" arrangement that just comes off as a weak excuse for a film, in fact it's bad writing. There are a myriad of ways to set up a heist gone wrong and then have the crims be on the run for their lives, this set up is just pathetic. Buscemi's hit man is poorly conceived, with some glaring conflicting in the characterisation, while the Anwar (beautiful and leaving a good impression) love interest angle could have had much more made of it if the makers had had the courage of their convictions.Give it a name.Still, if you can allow the annoyance of the crappy set up to subside, then there's strong noir themes to indulge in here. A one time bad boy struggling to escape his past and characters stuck in a bleak destiny influenced rut they can't get out of. There's a pervading sense of depression hanging over the film, which in a twisted way makes for good film, while the character dynamics are strong because the characters are very memorable. Helps, too, that they have awesome names like Jimmy the Saint, Critical Bill, Franchise and Mister Shhh! Acting is very good, with Garcia earning his quality pathos stripes, Williams doing psycho with ease, Forsythe a mighty machismo presence, Lloyd resigned and pitiless and Walken turning in another in his long line of bitter scary bastards.Worthy of interest to neo-noir fans for sure, but frustration sits in the narrative to stop it being an essential viewing. 6.5/10
