Confidence [DVD] [2003] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

Well - excellent movie, clever plot, clever dialogues, some sterling performances - Dustin Hoffman (cast against type) is interestingly creepy, Rachel Weisz is pure "bait with brains" and Edward Burns (not really my favourite actor, I admit) comes over with a surprisingly great amount of suave confidence... as for the supporting cast - as good as the leads (Andy Garcia takes the cake, though) , moody soundtrack, and - just for once - in this almost "sucked-dry" genre of 'Heist' and 'Sting' movies, an unpredictable ending.....

And while it skips over some of the less interesting details of the sting's setup and planning (like some forgeries etc - a forgivable offense ), the story stays sound - especially through Burn's comments from off-screen filling in details, attitude and superstitions. It compares very well to "Oceans Eleven" but is less swinging, ironic and hip, much grittier with ugly stains showing through the gloss, and somewhat less certainty about the outcome. Maybe because it was done with one tenth of the budget. Maybe because "Ocean's Eleven" is just too glossy and elegant.

As for the story - a group of conficence men pull off the wrong guy, or rather they con him out of the wrong money. Now, in debt to a local mobster (Hofmann ), they agree to trick an old enemy of said mobster out of several million bucks - and doing this with crooked cops, irritated gangsters and federal agents on their tail. Sounds simple, but like all good "sting" stories (and of course a fan of the genre will have seen pieces or bits of similar cons and double-bluffs elsewehere - It's an old genre and there are only _so_many_ original ideas. It's the way they are arranged that makes it sweet ) it has a cartload of double-dealing, backstabbing and corrupting gears busily shifting and turning. Rather surprisingly for a contemporary gangster/crime flick depicting the grimy underbelly of society the violence, while definitely there, is neither overwhelming, eceedingly bloody nor sickeningly self-serving , the camera-work is hands on, dialogue is crisp and for once the world is at its most dangerous when it looks glossy, stylish and neat.

Very much under-promoted , very much under-rated, and easy to dislike for the 2_explosions_a_minute_crowd. Just like the perfect con - you don't notice its excellence until it's over, and even then you need some brains to understand just how you have been fleeced. Now wisen up guys and at least get the DVD. No regrets - trust me on this.

Caper movies have been well served in the 90's and to some extent into the noughties. Movies like Ocean's Eleven, The Grifters, Heist and many others, have raised the bar for the con artist on the silver screen. `Confidence' aims high, and just scrapes over the bar, but without much room to spare.
The plot - well, it would spoil it to tell.. but even if I wanted to it would be difficult, as maze-like as it is. Suffice to say, when a con turns out to have inadvertently trodden on a ganglord's toes (Dustin Hoffman), the con-artist (Ed Burns) agrees to pull a huge job to get the money back and keep everyone happy... but who can anyone trust, and what is as it seems?
Great performances abound - the talent on display here is formidable through to the most minor of characters. However, for the most part these fantastic character actors are being called on to play parts which are by their definition artificial. It all works well for the plot, but the sheer cleverness of the whole thing does pull you out of the experience and constantly remind you that this is not real, just a movie.
Having said that, the script is fine, even if lacking that David Mamet style it so much wants to have. Dustin Hoffman in particular benefits from some juicy lines, chewing the scenery as his menacing though dwarf like ganglord with a predilection for sex of any kind. He looks for all the world like Eddy Jordan on speed, turned to a life of crime and hedonism. Ed Burns is a fine actor, but seems a little out of his depth, and Rachel Weisz plays the sexpot admirably well. In the end we do find a satisfying cleverness to the eventual proceedings - But without an investment in the characters that makes us really care one way or the other who did what to who.
It's a stylish movie, and worth watching, but one could have expected more from the talent involved. Watch it, enjoy, and forget it about 5 minutes later.

A solid thriller cum scam movie, which I can highly recommend renting.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. From the start you know it'll have some twists and turns, some good character acting (Dustin Hoffman is great) and give you a treat. The ending is partially predictable - but not in the way it actually pans out, which is admirable and engaging.

The voice-over narrative keeps the pace moving along rather than interfering or providing a sense of irritation, and the whole movie looks good, sounds good and gels together well.