Movie Title: Dog Eat Dog
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Writer: Matthew Wilder (based on the novel by Edward Bunker)
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Willem Dafoe, Christopher Matthew Cook, Omar J. Dorsey, Louisa Krause, Melissa Bolona, Reynaldo Gallegos, Paul Schrader
Review: When a trio of ex-cons (Nicolas Cage, Willem Dafoe, and Christopher Matthew Cook) are looking for the last big score they get hired by a Cleveland mob boss to hold the baby of his rival for a hefty ransom - and things go from bad to worse.
Legendary filmmaker Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Affliction) directs this crime drama that is harsh, brutal, and vulgar, but not in a good way. I was looking forward to seeing Dog Eat Dog based on the involvement of Schrader, Dafoe, and the unpredictable Nic Cage. From the very off-putting opening scene the movie never really recovers, even with Cage really "Cagin'" it up. Dafoe's Mad Dog is so unlikable and despicable that you can't stand him whenever he's onscreen. Cage's Troy is charming, but psychotic. That might work in another movie, but not here. Diesel, played by Christopher Matthew Cook, is the most interesting character in the movie, but he's no better than the other two. And the plot is rather basic. Ex-cons looking for one last big score that goes wrong. Been there done that, but the movie doesn't even do much with that. Fro being around 90 minutes this one meanders way too much and doesn't have much to say.
Dog Eat Dog was tough to get through and didn't add up to much. From the trailer it looks like a comic crime thriller, which is what I was hoping for, but it was just too crude, odd, and mean-spirited to be entertaining. What a waste of truly talented entertainers. Such a shame. Bad dog!
Fun Fact: Paul Schrader said he approached Michael Wincott, Michael Douglas, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Nick Nolte, Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum and Rupert Everett for the role of Greco the Greek, but it didn't work out with any of them. In the end, to avoid going over budget, he played the role himself in what will be his acting debut.