Heaven’s Prisoners *** (1995, Alec Baldwin, Mary Stuart Masterson, Kelly Lynch, Teri Hatcher, Eric Roberts) – Classic Movie Review 5436

Alec Baldwin showcases his hardened neo-Bogart tough-guy turn again to much advantage as director Phil Joanou turns up the heat on this tough-edged, hardboiled 1995 thriller.

Baldwin plays Dave Robicheaux, the drink-addicted ex-New Orleans cop husband of Kelly Lynch, a couple who run a quiet boat and bait business down by the Louisiana bayoux. The peace is shattered when they rescue a little girl (Samantha Lagpacan) from a bomb-hit plane that crashes hard by their boat. This event starts a crime wave involving, among other colourful characters, a hooker (Mary Stuart Masterson), a muscle-bound gang boss (Eric Roberts), and his murderous moll (Teri Hatcher), whose character puts the drop dead into drop-dead gorgeous.

Joanou handles his set-pieces and bursts of (considerable) violence with great style and vigour, and Baldwin convinces in these scenes, although showing a worrying Brando-esque masochism that makes some of the violence seem too impossible to survive (as least as he does with apparently just a couple of cuts). The attack on Baldwin’s home and a long chase sequence starting over roofs and ending up in a street car are impeccably staged.

Unfortunately the non-action scenes carry nothing like the same charge, making a long film (132 minutes) seem at times padded out and undercharged. But there are enough oddball characters and situations to hold the attention.

Finally though, the plot form the book by James Lee Burke just is not quite interesting and unique enough, and we don’t really care who the person behind all the mayhem is, so the finale comes as a disappointment and an anti-climax. That is such a shame when there are so many good things in the movie.

Hatcher turns on the serious sex appeal and Roberts amusingly overacts like there is no tomorrow.

It is made by New Line, written by Harley Peyton and Scott Frank, shot by Harris Savides, produced by Andre E Morgan and Albert S Ruddy, and scored by George Fenton.

Also in the cast are Vondie Curtis-Hall, Badja Djola, Joe Viterelli (1937–2004), Tuck Milligan, Hawthorne James, Don Stark, Carl A McGee and Paul Guilfoyle.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5436

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