Robert M Young likes to do less with more. He's not bad at a sort of pale realism - his movies always feel like they could really happen, as if his scenes are less orchestrated than, well, caught. It's just that the worlds he captures, often in spite of their component elements, aren't very interesting ones. I am rarely compelled to finish one of his movies, and I rarely do. This, though he works all the time with one of the best actors in the business, who is also one of my very favorites: Edward James Olmos.
CAUGHT is a credible, competent, thoroughly boring film composed of really exciting ingredients. Aside from a centerpiece of dueling Oedipal tragedies, it features forbidden love, a suitcase full of money, a mysterious drifter, a murderous stand-up comic, Olmos with a knife in his hand, and Maria Conchita Alonso naked. How could this possibly be less than entertaining?
Well, set it in a fish market, for one thing; then have your mysterious drifter - who turns out to be not only not mysterious but not even very unusual - act the whole movie with a single look on his face. Then make none of the elements matter any more than any of the others, so instead of packed with thrills it's just a tired mess. Stir weakly and serve tepid.
CAUGHT is a credible, competent, thoroughly boring film composed of really exciting ingredients. Aside from a centerpiece of dueling Oedipal tragedies, it features forbidden love, a suitcase full of money, a mysterious drifter, a murderous stand-up comic, Olmos with a knife in his hand, and Maria Conchita Alonso naked. How could this possibly be less than entertaining?
Well, set it in a fish market, for one thing; then have your mysterious drifter - who turns out to be not only not mysterious but not even very unusual - act the whole movie with a single look on his face. Then make none of the elements matter any more than any of the others, so instead of packed with thrills it's just a tired mess. Stir weakly and serve tepid.