I picked up a copy of the recent reissue of Victor Gischler's 'Fast Charlie' (originally published in 2001 as Gun Monkeys) on transit through Sydney airport a few months back. I'm a sucker for anything published by Charles Ardai's awesome Hard Case Crime imprint (with their unique Yellow and White spines) and this down and dirty hardboiled gem was another winner.
The cinematic adaptation by Aussie Phillip Noyce shifts the setting from Florida to Mississippi and significantly ages-up the lead character, but keeps the cold blooded bad ass action, laconic humour and central theme of loyalty. Charlie (Pierce Brosnan) is a mob enforcer, loyal to his going-on-senile boss Stan (the final performance of James Caan). After a hit job goes awry, Charlie must engage with the victim's ex (and budding taxidermist) Marcie (Morena Baccarin) to assist in identification of the body, and uncovers a plot to see Stan's criminal empire overthrown by ambitious out of towner Beggar (Gbenga Akinnagbe).
Hybrid mix of by-the-book lethal hitman procedural and laid back comedic one liners that doesn't always mesh. The hilarious hijinx of the opening donut sequence set a false baseline of expectation as the plot soon gives way to a 'Taken'-lite quest for vengeance.
Brosnan is a dose of suited sauve savagery and Morena Baccarin is adept at holding her own in a dangerous predicament. Do you know she reverses a car into her garage? She has to back her in...
Local Alice Springs legend Warwick Thornton is on board as director of photography where he expertly captures the humidity and oppressive pre-rain build-up of Biloxi, mirroring the pressure mounting on Charlie at every turn.
A fast grilled slice of Deep South Noir.
I picked up a copy of the recent reissue of Victor Gischler's 'Fast Charlie' (originally published in 2001 as Gun Monkeys) on transit through Sydney airport a few months back. I'm a sucker for anything published by Charles Ardai's awesome Hard Case Crime imprint (with their unique Yellow and White spines) and this down and dirty hardboiled gem was another winner.
The cinematic adaptation by Aussie Phillip Noyce shifts the setting from Florida to Mississippi and significantly ages-up the lead character, but keeps the cold blooded bad ass action, laconic humour and central theme of loyalty. Charlie (Pierce Brosnan) is a mob enforcer, loyal to his going-on-senile boss Stan (the final performance of James Caan). After a hit job goes awry, Charlie must engage with the victim's ex (and budding taxidermist) Marcie (Morena Baccarin) to assist in identification of the body, and uncovers a plot to see Stan's criminal empire overthrown by ambitious out of towner Beggar (Gbenga Akinnagbe).
Hybrid mix of by-the-book lethal hitman procedural and laid back comedic one liners that doesn't always mesh. The hilarious hijinx of the opening donut sequence set a false baseline of expectation as the plot soon gives way to a 'Taken'-lite quest for vengeance.
Brosnan is a dose of suited sauve savagery and Morena Baccarin is adept at holding her own in a dangerous predicament. Do you know she reverses a car into her garage? She has to back her in...
Local Alice Springs legend Warwick Thornton is on board as director of photography where he expertly captures the humidity and oppressive pre-rain build-up of Biloxi, mirroring the pressure mounting on Charlie at every turn.
A fast grilled slice of Deep South Noir.
