Suicide Kings (1997) User Reviews

Slick, entertaining thriller with fine cast

[MovieLuvaMatt · 7/10 · 13 July 2003]

"Suicide Kings" is an often enjoyable and compelling film, despite a few plot holes due to some twists at the end that the writers desperately threw in to surprise the audience, but didn't take the time to reflect on whether they made perfect sense or not. Nevertheless, it's a fun ride all the way through. The characters are all interesting, in their own way. People have referred to the Ira character as annoying and obnoxious, but he's also the character I most relate to. You'll never catch me throwing a party in my house when my parents are gone, because I'm incredibly paranoid about people wrecking the place and I can imagine how paranoid I'd be in Ira's situation with his friends keeping a gangster with his finger cut off captive in my parents' living room. The actors all do splendid jobs, and have a natural chemistry. As for Christopher Walken, when does he not please? He's one of the most intense, engaging, brilliant actors of all time and that's that! Once Walken's on screen, the dynamic completely changes for the better, whether it be a movie of this quality or one of the "Prophecy" sequels. Denis Leary is hilarious as Walken's right hand man whose running gag is the fact that he wears boots made from stingrays. People keep referring to them as "fish boots." He plays the same irritable, pugnacious, f-word-spewing character as in 90 percent of his work, but who cares? Some actors are so good at playing one character that they get away with it no matter how many times it's reprised. Leary is one of those actors. His talents mainly lie in stand-up comedy, so his range isn't that broad. But Leary's good at playing Leary, or an extension of himself, and I'd much rather see him in that role than as, say, a sensitive romantic lead. I loved watching him beat the guy up with a toaster and the other one with a golf club. I love to see Leary do stuff like that. Jay Mohr, a fellow stand-up comedian, is also good mainly at playing that particular role and that's what he does in this movie. Not a big stretch for him either, but it's what he's good at. It was also cool to see "Everybody Loves Raymond's" Brad Garrett in a more serious role, and using language he can't use on TV. The whole film is basically filled with 4-letter words, but it fits the testosterone-filled tone, being that the cast is predominantly male. There is as much excitement as there is dark humor. Director Peter O'Fallon balances those elements nicely. And I loved the theme song over the credit sequence. For some reason, it's still pounding in my head.

My score: 7 (out of 10)

Walken at his BEST EVER!

[DJAkin · 7/10 · 21 January 2002]

Yes, that is a BOLD statement. However, it's true. This is the classic mind warp! Chris delivers the goods in this film about some guys who think they can out think a mob boss. However, nobody can outsmart Chris Walken! He uses so much reverse phychology in this movie. He even outwits his arch enemy/impersonater!! I am speaking of the comic Jay Mohr! He and Jay have great banter together. Jay plays a rotton jerk. I would love to see Suicide Kings part 2. However, that would be hard because one of the main characters can't be in part 2. Rent the DVD. The alternate ending is brutal! I rate this one a huge thumb up!

An astonishing performance by Walken and a twisty plot make this worth seeing

[lemon_magic · 8/10 · 17 September 2005]

In case you didn't know (I didn't know this the first time I saw this film), the "Suicide King" is the gambler's nickname for one of the face cards in a deck of cards. The King of Diamonds is called the "Suicide King" because while all the other face cards (Kings, Queens, and Jacks) appear to be holding scepters, globes, etc, the King Of Diamond is holding a sword, and on close examination, he appears to be sticking it in his own ear. FYI.

Anyway, this is the kind of little gem you hope for when you go out to see a crime thriller - strong performances, a quirky plot centering around a battle of wits, effective dialog which not only rings true to the ear (with two exceptions, see below), but also successfully mixes menace, humor, and pathos in equal measure. While this is definitely not family fare, and while I can't imagine the Oprah crowd ever enjoying a movie like "Suicide Kings", anyone with a taste for suspense, noir or thriller material will find much to enjoy here.

The scenario is brilliantly conceived: five callow preppie college kids kidnap a semi-retired crime boss. They hope to force his cooperation in rescuing a second kidnap victim (a young woman who is the sister of one of the boys and the lover of another member of the group. Because Walken's character has been semi-legit for many years, the boys get lucky and catch him off guard. Walken's character ("Charlie") wakes up duct taped to a chair, with one finger already chopped off (to impress on him the urgency of their situation) and pumped full of pain killers.

However, the movie soon makes it clear that the boys have caught a tiger by the tail. Even taped to a chair and physically helpless,Charlie is far tougher, shrewder, and more ruthless than all of his captors put together. Even while slowly bleeding to death, he manages to use his contacts to get the hunt for the young woman under way and turn the members of the group against each other with carefully chosen observations and revelations. The process is fascinating to behold - Charlie can be witty, patronizing, menacing and comforting all in the space of 60 seconds, and you literally fear for these young mens' lives and futures even though they seem to have the upper hand. They aren't street sharks and killers, and Charlie is.

Also impressive is Denis Leary, who plays Charlie's chief strong arm and factotum, "Lono". Leary's rants and ravings are long, involved, quirky, funny, and highly entertaining. There is a running joke involving Lono's new "stingray skin" boots that is almost worth the price of admission by itself. Although I never believed Leary's "dangerous tough guy" image in the movies (he would have gotten his butt kicked at my junior high school), I give him credit. He fairly boils over with restless, angry energy as an actor. This makes his character "Lono" is a lot of fun to watch. Lono is the kind of guy who gripes about the new graphite shafts of the golf clubs he uses to beat the stuffings out of people, and how much better the old metal shafts were for the task.

The movie isn't perfect. The weakest character of the group of kidnappers, "Ira" is written and played so broadly that at times he is quite annoying. It's obvious he is supposed to be the comic relief of the group, and the actor works hard to invest a thankless character with some depth and humanity. And if this were a pure "caper" film,I think the character and the performance would have been fine. But "Ira" is such a whiny schmuck that he saps the movie of some of the energy it has at times. Other people may disagree with me on this one, and I'm not saying he's bad, I'm just saying that he takes things a little too far for this kind of movie.

The other weak point is the second pair of kidnappers, "Heckle and Jeckyl". The two character actors who play them (including Brad Garrett, most recently known for his part in "Everybody Loves Raymond") are obviously old hands at this sort of character, but in the scenes set in their apartment (where they are supposedly holding the girl), they come off as buffoons, sort of like Laurel and Hardy with snub nosed 38s. While they are quite entertaining, it's impossible to take them seriously, and this also detracts from the sense of menace and urgency that is supposed to be driving the situation.

Anyway, aside from those minor caveats, I was really, really impressed by this movie. Anyone with a taste for darkly humored, quirky noir films such as "Reservoir Dogs" and "The Usual Suspects" will find this a worthy entry in the genre, as long as they can overlook those two sub-par aspects.

PS: The DVD reissue of "Suicide Kings" contains two alternate endings which film completists and fanatics will enjoy. The first alternate ending is somewhat sappy and romantic, and doesn't really jibe with the tone of the previous 15 minutes. The second ending is more workable, and has a nice twist. IMO, I think that the grimmer ending they kept was ultimately the most satisfying way to end the film. You may disagree.

Kidnap Yarn Done Very Well

[BB-15 · 30 June 1999]

Kidnap films have been made for decades. (Check out Ransom for a typical example.) In a way Suicide Kings starts out like a low budget "B" movie of the 40's and 50's. The beginning is obvious and a bit overly dramatic. But this is when Suicide Kings began to surprise me.

Christopher Walken in an amazing performance shows that an actor can be the center of a film while sitting down for almost an hour. Also, this movie pulls no punches in showing organized crime/mob violence. Yet, the vigilante college kidnapers are shown in such a harsh manner that after a while you begin to root for the mobsters over the ivy league losers. It's an amazing turn around.

On top of this there is some wicked humor in the film not unlike Goodfellas. Denis Leary as he was in the Ref is great as the abusive and befuddled thug.

What was very satisfying was that the ending was just right. Finally a movie that does not have a ridiculous happy ending tacked on to it. Suicide Kings is brutal in its logic but the story makes sense from start to finish. Despite its low budget and its routine beginning, this is a very good film.

Nicely done urban tale.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 25 July 2009]

A sort of frat boy and his girl friend get lost in uptown New York and the girl is kidnapped. Two million dollars in ransom is demanded. Her finger arrives in the mail. (I think this is what happens anyway. I missed a few critical minutes at the beginning.) The frat boy organizes a handful of his upper-middle-class friends and they manage to kidnap a notorious capo, Christopher Walken, who is either behind the kidnapping or knows who is, and so will help them retrieve the rest of her body, minus the finger. They chloroform him and take him to an empty mansion on Long Island where, to convince him they are hard-hearted and determined, instead of the inexperienced nudniks they are, they remove his finger while he's unconscious.

Walken wakes up in this large house belonging to one of the preppies and the rest of the film is taken up with his trying to get the girl back from the wheelchair he is duct-taped into.

Doesn't sound too promising. It's mostly shot on one set, like a filmed play. But three things lift this effort above the level I'd expected.

One is the working out of the plot, which has several unexpected pirouettes. The kidnapping is pegged by the mob almost immediately as "an inside job," which is about as far as attorney-client privilege will allow me to go.

The second is the dialog, which has innumerable sparkles in it -- and that's critical because it's a talky movie. Some lines are very amusing. Some are dead serious. Here's one of the funnier ones. Walken is taped into his chair and has to pee. So how will it be managed? Do they free his hands, something they're understandable loathe to do, or does somebody unzip Walken and make sure he evacuates his bladder in a tidy manner? ("Aim him good!", cries the chubby little kid whose parents own the mansion.) While this mission is being discussed, Walken contributes his point of view. "If somebody is going to be holding hands with my ****, can I at least get a drink first? I'm not asking for dinner and dancing. I'm not asking for a commitment."

The third is the acting. Man, do these guys put it across. Especially notable are Dennis Leary as Walken's chief agent, and Walken himself. Neither steps wrong. Christopher Walken is a marvelous actor. He's confined to a chair. He's bled half to death. He's strung out behind some analgesics and booze. And his set expression is one that artfully blends boredom with mild interest in the proceedings. At times he speaks like the soul of reason amidst these adolescent collisions of will. The director, Peter O'Fallon, gives us multiple reaction shots of Walker placidly watching the arguments and barbs being thrown back and forth by his captors, and they're funny as hell.

But don't be misled. It's not ALL talk. There's action too for the aficionados. Several shootings take place and while none of them results in a bath tub full of gore and splattered brains, none is done for laughs either.

It's well written, nicely directed, and the cast is fine.

Excellent acting, mediocre film

[itamarscomix · 7/10 · 13 November 2012]

The premise of Suicide Kings - four young and privileged men kidnap a retired mob boss played by Christopher Walken - is appealing. So much so that it makes me wish it made for a better film.

Suicide Kings tries to be a psychological thriller focusing on mental cat-and-mouse games between the mobsters and his kidnappers, and the actors are good enough to pull it off - in fact, they're good enough to make you think that there's any psychological depth to the film, when really there's none. Walken and the talented young cast - Denis Leary, Jay Mohr, Sean Patrick Flanery (The Boondock Saints), Jeremy Sisto (Law & Order), Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory) and Henry Thomas (E.T's Elliot all grown up) - all deliver their lines with so much passion and conviction that you almost don't notice how messy and shallow the script really is.

This fine group of actors - and Walken's wildly charismatic performance most of all, from an actor so powerful he can dominate the film while being tied to a chair for all but a few minutes of it - is more than enough to make the film entertaining, even very enjoyable. The weak script, which deteriorates into cheap twists and conspiracies towards the end - makes it entirely forgettable. A quick comparison to Danny Boyle's Shallow Grave is a testament to how much more comfortable the British are with theatrical minimalism. With a great director and a great script, Suicide Kings could have been something wonderful. As it is, it's good enough for one pleasurable watch, but leaves no mark and no impression.

Start to finish top rate acting from many actors results in a movie that entertains through the entire show.

[joehaasboss · 7/10 · 23 August 2023]

Every once in awhile I find a really good movie that somehow has not been brought to my attention and that I have not seen. In today's world I think this is becoming even more prevalent than 20th century movie productions because there is a lot more movies being produced other than in Hollywood also there's movies being made for individual cable channels or companies. I just viewed Suicide Kings for my first time and I can say that I would watch it again. There's many things that I consider essential for a good movie such as plot, good writing, good acting and the actual filming and camera work. However to simplify my feelings on a movie; is the movie entertaining to watch and would you spend the time to watch it again with a friend or spouse that has not seen it yet? If the answer to that question is a yes then that's all that really matters. I read a review from a prominent critic from the year the movie came out and this quote is from memory but it basically said this:"The violence in this movie is very very little but the acting was good enough to hold your interest". Really? This from a prominent critic. Why don't they just watch real footage from World War One or Two if they think violence makes good entertainment?? They gave it like 2 1/2 stars out of 10. This critic was obviously looking for some negative feedback attention for publicity reasons or they're just a really terrible judge of movies and also a terrible critic. I'd rather have good acting over violence anytime and I'm far from a tree hugging pacifist. This movie had some of the best comic relief done by one of the most skilled actors in using comic relief in suspenseful or tense scenes. More cow bell ! This movie had me entertained or interested in it almost the entire time no matter how predictable it was and I think it deserves a 7.

Careful who your friends are ....

[rambow · 9/10 · 11 September 1999]

I was surprised with Suicide Kings. In the same spirit as Something Wild and The Usual Suspects, this movie is not about the end, but getting you there. The film is well told, keeping you on the edge wanting to know "who's on the inside". Unlike some movies where the wrap up at the end seems too improbable, this one works and works well.

I was unsure of what the movie would be like and so my expectations were low. At the end I had done an 180 degree turn. I was impressed. I look forward to watching this again and picking up on all the clues as to who was doing what and seeing the small details from the start.

Not great but not bad

[serpent_coil · 6/10 · 18 November 2008]

I admit I only saw this movie because it starred Christopher Walken and I figured it would at least be worth the time. And sure enough... I liked it. Sure, there were more then a few strange holes in the plot. And sure, you won't be seeing any Oscar-worthy performances. But I enjoyed it nonetheless goddammit! Sometimes you just have to watch a movie without overanalysing it and just enjoy the ride. I guess one of the things you could get hung up on is the fact that the whole set-up for the movie depends on the fact whether a mob-boss chooses to get in a car with a gang of youngsters he's never seen before to join for dinner with one of their fathers. A bit hard to swallow I'll admit. But hey, if you accept that someone could acquire superpowers by getting bitten by a radioactive spider this is a small leap of faith. Anyway, there are more of these strange irregularities in the script but I'll take a few strange coincidences for the sake of a good movie. What I'm having a harder time dealing with is the strange tone. It's like the director couldn't make up his mind whether to make it a dark comedy or a thriller/gangster film. Now it just sort of stumbles in between. A shame really, because it is a great set up with a rather unusual hostage situation where the hostage gradually takes control of and turns the tables on his kidnappers. In the right hands this could have been a fantastic movie instead of just a good one.

6/10

Dark, yet oddly funny

[Aspie33 · 10/10 · 8 March 2004]

I taped this movie on the USA Network at three o'clock in the morning, watched it some time afterward, and I was blown away by this film. Former gangster Carlo Bartolucci aka Charlie Barrett (Christopher Walken in one of his best roles ever) attends a bistro where he finds that a group of swaggering young men, consisting of Max (Sean Patrick Flanery), Avery (Henry Thomas), Brett (Jay Mohr), T.K. (Jeremy Sisto), and Ira (Johnny Galecki), have taken over his usual booth. Charmed by the guys, Charlie takes them for a ride, only for them to knock him out with some chloroform while going down the Queens tunnel in a hilarious sequence. Charlie regains consciousness inside of Ira's mansion taped to a chair with one of his fingers missing, having been cut off to compensate for Avery's kidnapped sister's missing limb. The guys keep Charlie prisoner in the mansion, but soon, Charlie starts to play head games with them, and it soon becomes obvious that there is a traitor in their midst.

This darkly humorous crime thriller can be described in the most simple terms as "The Breakfast Club" meets "The Godfather" or something like that, even though I myself never saw "The Godfather." Walken is increasingly laughter-provoking, suave, and creepy all at the same time as he delivers witticism after witticism despite his usual situation. Four of the lead males (Henry Thomas, Jay Mohr, Sean Patrick Flanery, and Jeremy Sisto) all portray swaggering rich boys, while Johnny Galecki (David from TV's "Roseanne") is screamingly funny as the nitpicking nerd of the bunch and Denis Leary is his usual laid-back self as slick and wisecracking gangster Lono (what a funny name!).

I said it once and I'll say it again -- "Suicide Kings" is a darkly comical film, but it is highly recommended (for those with kids) that you watch this either late at night or while the kids are away.

I give "Suicide Kings" a 10 out of 10 on a scale of 1-10 in my humble opinion.

Word on the Street

[refinedsugar · 7/10 · 7 November 2023]

I bought 'Suicide Kings' on impulse at the height of the DVD craze in the early 2000's. I knew nothing about it. The fact that it starred Christopher Walken and was on sale for cheap was all that I needed. Such an enjoyable time! Critics torn this movie down, but they really missed the boat. This is how you do an effective thriller with good dialog, tension & solid tone.

Ex top dog mob figure Carlo Bartolucci aka Charlie Barret (Walken) is kidnapped by a group of young men (Jay Mohr, Henry Thomas, Sean Patrick Flannery, Jeremy Sisto) who explain that Avery's (Thomas) sister Elise has been kidnapped and they need his underworld connections & money to get her back. Charlie isn't involved, but to give him incentive to help they chop off one of his fingers and duct tape him to a chair at friend Ira's (Johnny Galecki) rich parents summer house. Charlie obliges, phones in some moves while bonding with them throughout the night as we learn more about the young men and the situation. Meanwhile right hand man Lono (Dennis Leary) is out on the streets tracking down leads to get the girl back safe & free his boss.

The directing by Peter O'Fallon is solid. The script is carried out well by the cast of faces. It's obvious a low budget project, but they hide this pretty well. There's a handful of flashbacks that serve up either atmosphere or laughs. Bit parts involving a security guard, a homeless man and a blackjack dealer are a hoot, but it's not a comedy. Moderate swearing, some light violence. I'm glad they went with the ending they did. Everything ties together in a satisfying manner.

Leary pulls off an effortless ability to be tough, humorous and likable. Walken is solid and gets some killer speeches. All of the young men get moments to shine and aren't window dressing. The flick makes it clear they are way in over their head and aren't as smart as they think. Character actors Cliff DeYoung, Frank Medrano, Brad Garrett and Louis Lombardi show up in roles that I most remember them for here.

Christopher Walken's name alone might get you to check out 'Suicide Kings', but that's selling it short. It's a complete package with a good soundtrack. If you're a fan of any of the actors involved do yourself a favor and see this film. Very few of the characters involved are angels, but that's the dark beauty in this film.

Best movie you've never heard of

[karrass1 · 10/10 · 21 April 2003]

This is the greatest movie you've never heard of. Its not popluar by any means but is one everyone should see. Its a sort of wannabe gangster movie with many twists and turns and although it is a drama you will find yourself laughing throughout

Entertaining plot and dialog, but some plot problems

[sideburnmikeguitar · 7/10 · 3 June 2009]

This is a fun movie about a kidnapping gone wrong. The kidnappers are generally spoiled, rich "kids" in their 20s who trick an old mobster, played by Christopher Walken, into taking a ride with them. They hold him hostage and he cleverly manipulates them to fight with each other.

there's nothing too dark, and the dialog and dynamic with the younger characters is really solid. Dennis Leary's mobster role is funny and angry and brutal in just the right doses.

***Possible spoiler*** Most of the way through the film I was convinced there would be a killer climax. The problem is that the story is leading you to believe that there's an "inside man..." but when you find out who it really is, it seems misleading. The motivations behind the actions of the kidnappers don't quite add up, particularly Avery and Max's interaction. The flashback sections of the story lead you to think one way, but don't come off as too convincing.

On the other hand, the movie's good at digging into these different personalities and Walken, Leary and the Ira character are really compelling. (It seems a lot of people didn't like Ira but he's pretty a very important foil for the others and the film would lose a lot without him. Plus, he's awfully convincing as the uptight kiss-up geek.) The twists are pretty cool, and not too tricky to get, just a little contradictory when you consider all the different ways the movie could have gone. But this was the way to make it interesting and not so obvious.

Well worth renting or picking up used.

A Plot Twist Too Far

[jamesowen-2 · 3/10 · 27 February 2006]

A survey of the cast, which include Christopher Walken, Jay Mohr, and Denis Leary, suggests there might have been a cracker here, alas 'Suicide Kings' founders with a script more shallow than a paddling pool and plot so contorted an audience can feel cheated.

The collegiate bucks at the centre of this film make up annoying group of young man, each friends and each jerks with an intense pre-existing dislike for each other. That makes it doubly bizarre and unbelievable to suppose they'd ever trust each other to carry out the convoluted plan which serves as the basis of the story. Indeed they're all so devoid of any redeeming qualities it's difficult to imagine why we should care what happens to them.

Ultimately I'm left assuming this was an attempt at a thriller with the shock value of 'The Usual Suspects', but the devices used are so obvious you spend half the film second guessing an answer that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. In fact whatever you come up with would probably have been better.

This is a dud.

Creepy cool thriller

[PeachHamBeach · 27 August 1999]

It's hard to name a genre for Suicide Kings, so I put it in my beloved category of "twisted thriller". I compare it with movies like Reservoir Dogs, The Usual Suspects, U-Turn, Kalifornia, Wild Things, True Romance and A Simple Plan. Like all of the above, SK was violent, bloody and full of surprising twists. To add to its shadowy charm, it had a psychotic sense of humor. But the most amazing thing about this movie is Christopher Walken's subtly venomous performance, which complements the sharp, individualized performances of the younger cast members. Walken plays Charlie Barrett, a man who is unwittingly "recruited" to help five college-aged rich kids rescue one of their sisters, who has been kidnapped for a $2 million ransom. The five kids: nervous Avery (Henry Thomas), the one whose sis Elise (Laura Harris) is endangered; handsome Max (Sean Patrick Flanery), who is Elise's sweetheart; Brett (Jay Mohr), the one with a hell of an anger problem; aspiring doctor TK (Jeremy Sisto); and ultra-neurotic Ira (Johnny Galecki) whose house becomes a hideout for the kids after they kidnap Barrett. Brett concocts the plan. Max drugs him, TK severs one of his digits, and Charlie is duct-taped to a fancy office chair, hooked up to an IV which is pumping more drugs into him. Meantime, Avery broods nervously over his missing sis and Ira squeals endlessly about the blood TK is getting all over the nice varnished floor. While the boys bicker at each other about how to continue their insanely flawed caper, Barrett regards this group of inexperienced whipper-snappers with a myriad mix of sympathy, amusement and anger. But anger from a man like Charlie Barrett is not to be taken lightly, it is to be feared. Charlie is a man who with one spoken word, could have these five kids murdered and their bodies hidden where no one will ever find them. You know that from the minute you meet him, but the scariest thing about Charlie is his quiet mannerism. This serpent is indeed subtil. He does not shout, he gently whispers hints of warning to the kids that they've made a bad mistake messing with him. He taps into these kids early on, uncovering their dirty little family secrets and their own individual not-so-secret addictions, to drink, to drugs, to gambling. And he uses devices, honed from years of experience in a world these kids know nothing about, to his advantage. He may be physically incapacitated, he may be outnumbered, but he knows the kids are still no match for him. There's no arrogance in this knowledge, and it is truly creepy. It's a battle of wits that kept me on the edge of my seat, gave me the most delicious shivers of perverse anticipation, and it was honestly very hard to know which side to route for. I really love this movie. See it if you haven't. : )~

don't betray your friends

[hans-31 · 7/10 · 10 March 2001]

Don't betray your friends is the lesson we learn out of this nice film. The film has a surprising plot which gives the viewer a nice shock. I like the acting of the young boys a lot. Even Ira, the neurotic dumb friend, awakes sympathy in the end. Christopher Walken tied to a chair in most part of the movie is an amazing gangster. But the best thing is the lesson that you should always be true to your friends.

Low-quality crime movie ..

[GreyHawkXY · 6/10 · 7 September 2006]

This is certainly not an intelligent movie, that plays with you, tricks you, surprises you .. I found nothing to stimulate my mind .. The villains hence the ending becomes visible before half-an-hour counter elapses .. You are introduced with an interesting plot, but with no other driving factors that will keep you interested till the end ..

The acting is definitely poor .. The only characters that save the movie are the old-crime-king (Walken) and his driver (Leary) .. But, even these two actors are somewhat below their well-known quality, because of the messy and amateurish dialog .. The young actors show no talent at all, even if they have some .. Only the wanna-be-doctor character, T.K., is somewhat interesting, the rest, especially Ira, kept be irritated all the time .. No character study is visible, no motivation, nothing .. The lines are spoken with no mind nor soul .. Without Walken (and Leary) this movie would be in the trash ..

The saving feature of the movie is its plot (not the script, but the general plot) - the reason why my rating is above half-way point .. Several ideas are certainly unique, but the negative aspects corrupt the movie to the roots ..

Bottom Line - Minimal enjoyment for crime/thriller fans .. I found no reason to keep the movie in my movie collection for a second viewing in the future - I don't regret the time I spent for the movie, but I will regret if I (am forced to) watch it again ..

Fun, but messy

[fistofgonzo · 6/10 · 29 August 2022]

This was a neat movie, a cool "botched crime" film with a lot actors before they were big and Christopher Walken leading the charge. It has twists, turns, suspense, dark humor, and plenty of style to go around. The problem is that the script doesn't necessarily reconcile all of these components into a viable whole. I was confused as to why two of the main characters were even there, and why any of them thought their plan would work. It felt like a contrived setup to get to a wild payoff. If you can turn your brain off this is a cool movie and a fun ride, but if not you're going to struggle with it. Maybe I should give it another watch but im not sure if it's worth the time.

Simple Plan(s)

[kosmasp · 9/10 · 21 April 2020]

Looking back at this - well I remember how much I loved it and it still holds up nicely (ok the phone thing has not aged well, but anything to do with communication will not have a good standing watching it from the 21st century back to when this played and what time and things you had to rely on) ... Having said that, this builds on a couple of things: Story and characters.

Although the latter especially is very much elevated through the actors playing them. Christopher Walken is always a gift and a guarantee, but watching Dennis Leary it made me wonder how he never really got bigger. Yes he's probably only able to do one thing (character wise), but he is so freaking good at it ... of course it's not just those two. Everyone else is great and some of them made it to some sort of fame. The cast is just superb, you kind of wonder how they got them all. But the script was good and they got the guy apparently responsible for American Gothic - great TV show that I have to revisit too sometime soon! Watch and even though there are alternate endings on the disc, the one used in the movie itself is the best ending. Shame there weren't any deleted scenes other than that - the audio commentary mentioned them and I'm sure while the movie is great as it is, it would have been nice to see them

Movie with great story and bad screenplay

[Miki_Mesar · 7/10 · 4 February 2020]

I think, and this is only my personal opinion, this movie have a great story. But this could be much better. Christopher Walken did fantastic job in this role and I can single out Johnny Galecki as Ira and Henry Thomas as Avery, rest of cast is average. With better screenplay, this could be one of best thrillers in 20th century. I bet it. Either way, this movie is good. 7/10.

Naive Kidnappers Bite Off More Than They Can Chew

[seymourblack-1 · 8/10 · 24 April 2018]

"Suicide Kings" successfully blends suspense, violence and humour and is absolutely gripping right from the start because the whole notion of a group of college students kidnapping a senior Mafioso with the intention of extorting money from him is so crazy that seeing what happens next just becomes totally irresistible. It's a strange experience for most movie fans to watch this type of film and actually feel more concerned about what's going to happen to the kidnappers rather than the victim, but that's exactly what happens in this tense, but also hilarious crime story.

Charlie Barret (Christopher Walken) is the retired mob boss who used to be known as Carlo Bartolucci and who, one night, seemingly by chance, meets a few young men at a smart restaurant and at their request, agrees to carry on socialising at another venue. During their car journey, Charlie is chloroformed and wakes up in a remote mansion tied to a chair. His three new friends, Avery (Henry Thomas), Max (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Brett (Jay Mohr) have, by this stage, been joined by T.K. (Jeremy Sisto), a medical student who keeps Charlie under sedation for most of the time. He's told that Avery's sister Elise (Laura Harris) has been kidnapped and a ransom of $2,000,000 has been demanded for her release. As Avery's father can't raise that much cash, Charlie's captors want him to pay up and use his connections to hunt down Elise's abductors.

Charlie is horrified to discover that one of his fingers has been cut off to reflect what's apparently been done to Elise and is threatened with further amputations if any more of Elise's body parts are removed. Shortly after, the four students are joined by their friend Ira (Johnny Galecki), whose father owns the place and has arrived for a pre-arranged game of poker as he didn't know anything about the planned kidnapping. On being confronted by the sight of a man (who he recognises as a mobster) being held hostage and bleeding profusely, he gets incredibly upset and distressed about the mess that's being made in such fine surroundings and wants nothing to do with what's going on. Charlie then decides to play along with the gang's instructions and contacts his lawyer who then directs the former mob boss' long-time enforcer, Lono (Denis Leary) to find out where he's being held and Lono begins his work immediately.

As Charlie and his captors chat and they serve him drinks, he recognises that what's happened to Elise must be an inside job and then uses this knowledge to disconcert the students and promote disunity in their ranks. This situation then sets the scene for the series of surprising events and discoveries that follow.

"Suicide Kings" is tremendously entertaining, brilliantly twisted and full of excellent performances. The casting is absolutely top class with the selection of Christopher Walken, Denis Leary and Johnny Galecki for their roles being prime examples. Charlie is a man with an ability to read people that's been developed over many years and has been critical to his survival, so when it comes to mind games, his naïve captors are not even in the same league as him. This naturally causes him some amusement and the way that he shows this whilst also emitting an air of menace is really wonderful to watch.

As a no-nonsense thug, Leary's punchy delivery is perfect whether he's making threats or wisecracks and Galecki is so frantic, jittery and nervous all the time that he makes his character absolutely believable and adds immensely to the enjoyment of watching this fine film.

Good film

[new_skin · 7/10 · 15 September 2006]

Four twentysomethings decide that desperate times call for desperate measures. After Avery's (Henry Thomas) sister is kidnapped, they hatch a plan to do a little kidnapping of their own. The man they pick is Carlo/Charlie (Christopher Walken), a retired mobster who they suspect can 'use his contacts' to free the girl. Charlie's motivation to help, in addition to not being killed, is that he will be returned to his home in the exact same condition that Elise Chasten is returned home in. The man in charge is Bret (Jay Mohr), who hatches the plan and plays the role of 'bad cop' for most of the movie. T.K. (Jeremy Sisto), a fledgling med student, monitors Charlie's health and provides the voice of reason in many instances. Also along for the ride is Max Minot (Sean Patrick Flanery), Avery's pal and Elise's fiancé. The group brings Ira (Johnny Galecki) in on the plan only after he agrees to let them use his parents' summer home for the night. The man responsible for recovering Charlie is Lono (Denis Leary), his driver. As time winds down, the boys' inexperience becomes more and more apparent ('you didn't think this through too good, did you? Charlie once comments), and Charlie's ever-worsening health becomes a major cause for concern. It's only a matter of time before Charlie decides to help the kids out, and he plays them against one another by showing them that the kidnappers may be much closer to home than they could have imagined.

Suicide Kings is a good film not because of the big names, but because of those who have since become big names. Christopher Walken plays the same kind of character that made Christopher Walken famous, and Denis Leary plays the same kind of character that made Denis Leary famous. Who really shines in this film is Jay Mohr. His performance as Bret showcases his true talent. He makes the character into someone who is so sure he's right, you wonder if it isn't him behind the curtain pulling the strings. Jeremy Sisto turns in another solid performance as T.K. As the man keeping Charlie alive, and the first one to have any real conversation with the mobster, T.K. spends most of the movie with information that could tear the entire operation apart, while at the same time trying to keep cool and keep his friends cool. Johnny Galecki as Ira is also worth noting. Ira is the runt of the group, not a little spineless, and is eager to constantly remind Charlie that he had nothing to do with the kidnapping. Flanery and Thomas are good as well, but not the kind of good that makes you think only they could have pulled the roles off.

Overall, Suicide Kings is an imperfect, but still enjoyable movie. There are times when you're sure you've figured it out, only to find yourself second-guessing minutes later. With equal bits of comedy, drama and thriller, Suicide Kings is no waste of time.

A Great Movie all around!!!!

[wikkid_gothbabe · 10/10 · 9 April 2003]

This movie has a terrific blend of humour, plot twists & suspense, action and great dialogue... In my opinion, if you substituted a murder victim for the 'kidnapping' victim, it has many of the classic elements from a Dame Agatha Christie mystery. Christopher Walken, my favourite actor, once again stole the show... even spending most of the movie duct taped to a chair... due to his intense facial expressions and vocal inflection... from dripping menace to subtle, black humour... he's definitely the Master of Acting and it SHOWS in Suicide Kings! The other notable acting kudo goes to Dennis Leary, who with a steady line of profane wisecracks and one fairly intense dramatic monologue, kept up the rest of the film. All in all, a good movie to watch... i'm VERY glad i bought the DVD... But personally, i would have liked to *see* the alternate endings without the director blabbing all over the top of them...

not about the story

[drystyx · 7/10 · 21 February 2015]

On the surface, this is a light drama-comedy-mystery about five young preppy guys who kidnap a professional criminal who they think is the master of criminals, because the sister of one of the young men is kidnapped, and they want to use him as leverage.

There is the usual red herring and counter bluffs and all the movie stuff that makes the geeks happy.

This is really not about the story, however. It is more how the more successful underworld people deal with upper crust people, in this case with the criminal the older, wiser guy who is more than supportive of his kidnappers, even after they cut off his finger.

He sees them for what they are. In fact, one he even calls "the man", a young nerd who had no part in the kidnapping, but who is used by the others. This respect for the young man is symbolic of the film. All through it, the other four give away their characters to him, and even those who cause him suffering, he relents to and works with, save for one whom he realizes is not capable of being reasoned with.

The movie has dull filmography, cinematography, and scenery, so it lags quite a bit, and comes across as something that actually works better on stage. Putting this on film wasn't the best idea. Still, it has some assets.

Ridiculously unbelievable

[claudecat · 1/10 · 25 February 2003]

Perhaps if this movie had been better structured I might for one minute have bought its premise, but as it was I found the whole thing laughable. I couldn't imagine how any of the characters would have come up with their idiotic plan, since it made no sense. And since the characters are poorly introduced and inadequately developed, I didn't understand any of their motivations for going along with it. I've never been a fan of Quentin Tarantino, but this film made me admit that he at least has a sense of pacing and timing. "Suicide Kings" injects bits of Tarantinoesque humor in the most inappropriate places, and goes off into meaningless tangents that never add anything to the storyline. It also tried to make suspenseful moments out of nothing, merely by throwing in some anxious music. Some of the acting is okay, e.g., Denis Leary's performance as a Mafia thug, but mostly the actors are powerless to make anything out of the foolish script. Christopher Walken is the most grounded person in the movie--and that's a scary thought.