European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 3, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Var nor a Vine i Denzel Washington plays a homicide detective tiding to capture dangerous psychopath John Lithgow in Ricochet. Chuck Vinch staff writer must see Worth your time passable entertainment coming soon to a video outlet near you and you can wait this is one schizophrenic flick. The Early going is a taut cops against psychos thriller As Denzel Washington the cop faces off against severely wacko professional hit Man John Lithgow. The second half when Lithgow exacts his revenge on Washington for putting him in the cooler is so ludicrous its like a comic Book. And yet Washington is such a Strong charismatic presence that he somehow makes it work anyway. Washington plays officer Nick styles who stumbles upon Earl Talbot Blake Lithgow just As he has gunned Down four hoods in a drug Deal rip off. With a sneaky Man Euver styles manages to disarm Blake and Collar him. Unknown to styles the whole episode was captured on videotape by a bystander and the ensuing publicity propels styles upward to detective and then to assistant District attorney while Blake stews in prison. In a gratuitously gory scene involving several Power tools Blake Breaks out of prison fakes his own death and sets about destroying styles comfy life which includes a Beautiful wife two cute kids and a huge House in the suburbs. The script starts to unravel after Blake kidnaps styles dopes him to the Gills films him in bed with a prostitute and dumps him on the Steps of City Hall intending to completely discredit styles. The first sign that things Are going awry is that the officer who has been a straight Arrow All his life can to get anyone a even his own wife a to believe his version of what has happened. It gets even sillier when styles decides to go on the offensive against Blake. The hit Man who until this Point has shown Brilliant cunning and restraint comes unglued in less than five minutes of screen time when styles strikes Back. The ultimate nonsense twist though is to have styles go to a boyhood Friend turned drug lord named Odessa rapper ice to who gets a lot of the scripts Best lines for help in nailing Blake. You wont believe what Odessa a part in the plan is. Lets just say that anyone who believes a major crack pushes would blithely trash his entire operation to help a Friend whom he Hasni to seen in years and who is a cop to Boot probably believes that a fat Guy in a red suit comes Down the Chimney once a year. But director Russell Mulcahy keeps pushing the action along at such a Breakneck Pace that you can t help getting caught up in the Rush. One of the Best things about this movie is seeing the soft Doughy Lithgow playing so hard against Type. For the most part his career to Date has consisted of characters who arc Mushy suburban wimps so he must have had a Ball trading his usual mild Demeanour for outright dementia. Lithgow with a Spiky haircut and one Eye clouded Over turns Earl Talbot Blake into the consummate psychopath. Washington a gifted actor has made a decidedly Odd Choice Here for a follow up to his Oscar winning performance in glory. But while you May leave the theater shaking your head at the absurdities of the script you la probably leave smiling. Ricochet gets three i a i s Tho add Maturon of Mno and Otts rated g. Milo the cat is bom in the Hayloft of a Bant. When he Falls off the loft he meets Otis the dog. Stars a eat a dog. Plus friends. Ambition rated r. In this psychological thriller a Young writer becomes obsessed with a convicted murderer. I its fascination with the working of the Man s mind leads to further killing and tragedy in the family Latu Diamond Phillips Clancy Brown a Othor you rated r. A pathological liar is released from a mental Hospital into the care of a con Man who is fulfilling a Community service sentence in this Madcap comedy. Gene Wilder Richard Pryor a i and Tod o bogus Youmoy rated pm. Dill and Ted arc killed by their evil twins robot agents from the fun lurch. Meet the grim reaper and end up travelling through heaven to find a great scientist to help them blow the twins to Smithereens. Stars Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter. Tho hard Way rated r. An actor with a reputation of acting up researches an upcoming role As a cop by going to the streets with a real new York policeman. Michael j. Fox James Woods. Motoo party 1 rated r. I his sequel follows the mad adventures of rap group kid n play As they Cross the threshold of adulthood. Play Hopes to find Fame in the Musie business while kid is off to College on a scholarship. Kid n Ptah. Martin Lawrence. Jaglo Povkov rated r. A Middle class african american has an affair with his Lallian american Secretary causing controversy Between their families and neighbourhoods. Wesley Snipes Anna Hylla Sciorra Samuel l. Jackson. John Turturro Lonelle Mckee. Ruffo Rolofo rated r. A look at famous mobsters Lucky Luciano Meyer Lansky a ugly Siegel and Frank costello on their Way to becoming legends during the period of 1417 to 14341. Christian Slater Patrick Dempsey. rated pg-13. John Ritter and Michael Oliver return As a father and adopted son who relocate to Mort Ville also known As Home of the Navajo love Rock. There Junior meets his match and Dud a besieged by Lawanda the town s wealthiest lonely woman. Puto look rated pm. Private detective Danny Glover is hired to find an Accident prone heiress who disappeared in Mexico. Glover thinks that with the help of Martin Short an equally Klutzy person they might be Able to figure out where she is. Provided that Dusty cliche Quot it takes one to know one Quot is True. A Rofo in Horton rated r. A tru Klul of Gold in Harlem has the bad Guys against the really bad Guys in a mad scramble to gel the riches. Forest Whitaker Robin Givens Danny Glover Gregory Hines Zakes Moke. / to wooh Toor rated pm. A Young Pilot who finds a rocket pack is suddenly pursued by the mob feds nazis and its rightful owner Howard Hughes. Bill Campbell Alan Arkin Timothy Dalton. Soo Peml rated pg-13. This Wacky comedy reveals All about the lives and loves of the actors and Crew of a fictional daytime soap opera. Sally Field Kevin Kline whoops Goldberg Robert Downey Cathy Moriarty. Also on Tho a Apps circuit rated g the Jungle Book. The i r maid the Nutcracker Prince 101 dalmatians the rescuers Dima under. Wild can t lie broken. Rated pm delirious. Puck Llie movie Ila Nilet i Kune alone rated pg-13 Dames with wolves. Dutch. La. Story the naked Oun a the smell of Lear nothing hut i rouble. Only the lonely. Hobin blood. I rime of ii Eves. Rated r . Holy in arts. Pm Slick ers. Deceived. Dying Young. Lla liners. Hudson Hawk. Marked Lor death. Mortal thoughts necessary roughness Hue around. Out Lor Justice. Point . I he Rookie. The surer Sutuch. judgment Dav. V i. Warshawski november 3 1991 sunday a Page 19
