James Foley directs the slick crime caper Confidence, written by first-time screenwriter Doug Jung. Told in flashback, smooth-talking con man Jake Vig (Edward Burns) relates an elaborate scheme orchestrated by his gang :Gordo (Paul Giamatti), Miles (Brian Van Holt), and Big Al (Louis Lombardi). The crew pulls off a swindling job stealing money from a guy named Lionel (Leland Orser), who turns out to be a mob accountant for the crazy crime boss known as the King (Dustin Hoffman). After the damage
has been done, Jake and his crew attempt to pull off an even bigger scam to make up for their mistake. This time the con involves the King's enemy, the mob-connected banker Morgan Price (Robert Forster). Two corrupt cops (Donal Logue and Luis Guzman) join Jake's team while the King appoints his henchman, Lupus (Frankie G.) to oversee the operation. Rachel Weisz plays Lily, Jake's love interest who is also in on the scam. Eventually, Andy Garcia shows up as FBI Agent Gunther Butan, who has been perpetually chasing after Jake. Confidence premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
What it shares with most of its predecessors is a sterling cast, in this instance almost entirely male, and the willingness of several talented performers to play against type, with entertainingly comic effect.
... Confidence does suffer a bit from some plot devices that haven't been original since The Sting, but it's a top-notch character study and a fun exercise in style.
While it sometimes fails to live up to its title, Confidence ultimately, wins us over-in short, it dazzlingly does what all good cons are supposed to do.
Misses the first rule of whodunnit filmmaking and never recovers; if you fool me once, you have to at least give me a reason to care that I've been fooled.
A conman whose crew accidentally takes the money of a crime kingpin is forced into doing a job for him to pay back the debt. Attempting the same kind of smart, sassy and easygoing charm of the likes of the Ocean's films, Confidence is just a little too generic to really light anyone's fire. Edward Burns is rather too
"made for television" to have enough charisma to carry the film, Dustin Hoffman, although a great actor in his day, at his age (and height) cannot do intimidating and easily the best character played by Andy Garcia gets nothing like enough screen time. It does have some charm and wit and is slickly directed by James Foley, but it's just a little too overly familiar and does not have enough in the way of personality or surprises to be considered for the big leagues. If it's an undemanding crime caper you're after and you've run out of Clooney films to watch, you could do a lot worse though.
May 6, 2007
xGary Xx
Super Reviewer
Clever twists and slick humor - not as satisfying upon second viewing though. Edward Burns is charmingly stoic.
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