Monday, November 11, 1996 Sidelines Page 9 'Mad Dog' Director Howard holds another audience captive movie just

Associated Press highest social circles, has an apartment overlooking plain bites Central Park and is adored by Associated Press Since he first went his wife, Kate (), behind the camera, Ron and their son, Sean (Brawley Howard has shown - an Nolte, Nick's remarkably Perhaps "Mad Dog Time" was meant to be a satire on adeptness at making movies expressive son). Then Sean is snatched, gangster movies — if so, that tap into relevant themes. did it better with But his craftsmanship usually and an e-mail appears on Tom's "Bullets Over Broadway. comes with a foible: He never PowerBook — complete with There are indeed a few goes far enough. digitized video of Sean chained genuine laughs. Mostly, the This happened in "The to a bed and blindfolded — and film is a puzzler, too absurd to Paper." It happened in the story is off. The ransom is believe as a real gangster "Backdraft," $2 million, and story, too violent to be a and, earlier, the rest of the comedy. "Cocoon" and film is Three cast members are consumed shot pointblank in the first 20 "Gung Ho." minutes. After an hour, half of| with how to And, sadly, it the principals have followed pay, whether happens in suit. In the final sequence, Howard's to pay and three men and two women are latest offering, why not to gathered in a room, all armed a pay. with pistols. Who is going to suspense Gary shoot whom? thriller called Sinise, as cop- A plot synopsis is difficult, "Ransom." turned- since even the didn't seem That kidnapper to have a clue. The setting is doesn't mean Jimmy also a mystery. It could be Shaker, makes a worthy Chicago, New York or Los "Ransom" isn't an entertaining, Angeles maybe in the 1930s or adversary for Gibson. At first, satisfying piece of roller-coaster today. Since most of the action filmmaking. It is. Dark, slick it is difficult to picture the photo by Lorey Sebastian takes place in offices and and brooding, with good-natured Sinise as an nightclubs, it's hard to say. spectacularly adroit camera archvillain. and the movie Mel Gibson plays self-made millionaire Tom Mullen in the Ron Howard directed film The early part of the film work, it pushes all the right exploits this — for about 30 Ransom.' Pictured in the background is Brawley Nolte (son of Nick Nolte). is concerned about the fact buttons — too well, it seems. seconds. It soon becomes clear that "Vic's coming back." That sends shock waves through the In anybody else's hands. Shaker is a force to be ofl i your son?" He conflict between Tom and hones itself into a gangster world. Vic (Dreyfuss "Ransom" would never reckoned with, a cop with bl- mumbles something about not Kate are abandoned just as psychological drama and puts transcend mediocrity. In the own set of morals and an is the big boss; he has been w int ing to i quickly. Sinise and Gibson at direct absent a few months on the hands of Howard and his assortment "t mental tools to more, ami the subji ' What's worse, it never loggerheads. back them up. funny farm. extremely competent cast, it dropi becomes clear why Jimmy It ultimately comes down During Vic's absence, his becomes something more. It's "Why you?" Shaker, his Oth Shaker is so single-minded in to guns, anger and whether empire has been coveted by still suspense schlock, but it's voice eerily disguised by a could have ( nrii ; film his desire to get the ransom. It's Tom Mullen is brave enough of rival crooks played by Gabriel scrambler, tells Mullen as the meaningful suspense schlock, are droppi I n obviously more than just heart and head to take care of Byrne, Kyle MacLachlan, Burt at least much of the time. men are communicating via cell well. money; he has a grudge against Jimmy Shaker for good. And Reynolds and Gregory Hines phones in moving cars "'Cause The story, based on a Former New Kid on the erything Mullen stands for. that, considering the many A bemused spectator is another gunman, Jeffl 1956 -Donna Reed you buy your way out of Block Donnie Wahlberg pi But we never get the story meaty themes that went Goldblum. He is also involved vehicle of the same name, trouble." snuffly, sulky young kidnappei behind the grudge. unexplored, isn't quite resonant follows painfully sincere This idea — that Gibson with two sisters, Ellen Barkin named Cubby with moral Russo. sadly, is forced enough to provide complete and Diane Lane, alluring in millionaire airline CEO Tom is something less than a ambiguousness Cubby's willing into the background. She's a satisfaction by the time the legitimate protagonist because low-cut silk gowns. Mullen, who built his company to snatch the child, hut also device, relegated to anxious credits roll. Amid all this from the ground up and now he uses people, too — is wants to make Sean looks and occasional angry "Ransom" is directed by mayhem, Goldblum is nothing finds himself accused of paying fascinating, but never pursued comfortable by feeding him outbursts Ron Howard from a screenplay short of marvelous. While all off a machinists' union to avoid adequately. chocolate and keeping him from In the end. "Ransom" is by Richard Price and Alexander others are going nuts about a strike. Later, when Kate permanent harm But Cubby a competently told tale about Ignon. It was produced by Scott him, he remains sphinx-like Gibson fits easily into confronts Tom after he refuses disappears early. compromise, bullheadedness Rudin and . It is but dangerous. Dreyfuss also contributes immensely, the role of Mullen, a well- to pay the ransom, she lashes and the divisiveness a couple rated R for violence and Sinise's relationship making Vic a power figure meaning, easily rich New out at him: "You paid off to save with his cohort girlfriend. faces when a child is in profanity. • Yorker who moves in the your airline; why won't you pay with a well-hidden streak of| Mans i I,ill Taylor', and the danger. It works best when it sentimentality. •

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