Pulp Fiction meets Short Cuts in a film that looks like a crime thriller but is actually one of the funnier comedies I've seen all year, all thanks to Danny Aiello putting on an absolute clinic here. It's no doubt one of the more shameless QT ripoffs, but I was pleasantly surprised how nicely it all coalesced, how legitimately hilarious a lot of the gags ended up being, and how dialed in everyone is. I'm also glad that the Short Cuts influence is just as apparent as the Tarantino-isms, as it jumbles 10 lead characters all miraculously crossing paths with one another before a final chance event bringing (most of) them together.
2 Days in the Valley is not without its flaws of course. For one, Jeff Daniels' character has no impact on the story and feels so out of place. You could remove him from the film and you'd get a tighter edit that flows better. He's the only character to not make an appearance in the last half an hour. It's the only real gripe I had with an otherwise pretty good film that honestly goes toe-to-toe with what QT was putting out in the same period.
Charlize Theron outmogged by Teri Hatcher outmogged by Glenne Headley outmogged by James Spader (as is the case with all films he's ever been in).
Pulp Fiction meets Short Cuts in a film that looks like a crime thriller but is actually one of the funnier comedies I've seen all year, all thanks to Danny Aiello putting on an absolute clinic here. It's no doubt one of the more shameless QT ripoffs, but I was pleasantly surprised how nicely it all coalesced, how legitimately hilarious a lot of the gags ended up being, and how dialed in everyone is. I'm also glad that the Short Cuts influence is just as apparent as the Tarantino-isms, as it jumbles 10 lead characters all miraculously crossing paths with one another before a final chance event bringing (most of) them together.
2 Days in the Valley is not without its flaws of course. For one, Jeff Daniels' character has no impact on the story and feels so out of place. You could remove him from the film and you'd get a tighter edit that flows better. He's the only character to not make an appearance in the last half an hour. It's the only real gripe I had with an otherwise pretty good film that honestly goes toe-to-toe with what QT was putting out in the same period.
Charlize Theron outmogged by Teri Hatcher outmogged by Glenne Headley outmogged by James Spader (as is the case with all films he's ever been in).
