An unassuming, charismatic personality and a bottle of poison prove to be a lethal combination in `The Minus Man,' directed by Hampton Fancher and starring Owen Wilson. When a personable young man drifts in from the Pacific Northwest and settles in a small coastal town, a number of people's lives are soon changed forever, and not for the better. Vann Siegert (Wilson) is a likable fellow with a winning smile and always a credible story regarding who he is, where he's been and where he's going; he's also a psychotic killer who chooses his victims seemingly at random, yet is so ingratiating that he never falls under suspicion. And such is the case when he rents a room from an unsuspecting couple, Jane and Doug Durwin (Mercedes Ruehl and Brian Cox). Without realizing, of course, that he's enabling a murderer, Doug helps Vann find gainful employment, allowing him to establish himself within the community, and the rest-- as they say-- is history. In one of the more telling scenes in the film, Vann reflects to himself, `If it weren't for me, these people would all be doing something else today...' What they are doing, in fact, is searching for one of their own who has gone missing, courtesy of Vann. What is so distressing about this movie is the lack of menace outwardly presented by someone so intrinsically evil; like Norman Bates in `Psycho,' Vann is simply too unprepossessing and benign to be considered a threat to anyone. The contrast between his countenance and his crimes is chilling; and the fact that he perpetrates his deeds in such a matter-of-fact, unemotional manner gives new meaning to the phrase `cold blooded killer.' One of the interesting aspects of the film is that Vann acts as narrator as well, which effectively puts the audience inside the mind behind the madness, even more so than in `Silence of the Lambs,' because in this case, the viewer is privy to the actual thought process that precipitates the crimes. And it becomes a bit unnerving after some reflection upon what is actually transpiring under the guise of `normalcy.' Owen Wilson is well cast and gives a stunningly credible performance as Vann; he conveys such a low-keyed, eye-in-the-center-of-the-storm manner that he is instantly recognizable as the boy next door you'd be more than happy for your daughter to date. And after watching him in action it becomes truly disconcerting to consider that in the real world there are those who look and act like Vann and are capable of such heinous acts of violence and deceit. As the couple who takes Vann in-- and are subsequently taken in by him-- Ruehl and Cox capture the essence of the `everyman/woman' that can be found in any neighborhood in any town, and the fact that they are people with whom it is so easy to identify makes it even more upsetting when you realize that the vulnerability to which we are all prone can be exploited with such facility. In a supporting role, Janeane Garofalo is a welcome presence as Ferrin, a co-worker of Vann's who is drawn in by his winsome facade; and rounding out the supporting cast are Sheryl Crowe (Caspar/Laurie), Dwight Yoakam (Blair), Dennis Haysbert (Graves) and Alex Warren (State Trooper). Ultimately, `The Minus Man' is a cautionary tale that may spark a touch of paranoia in the viewer, and with good reason; and after spending some time with Vann, it just may alter your perception of some of your more casual acquaintances and even some old friends, especially those who seem so `ordinary.' It's a film that kind of sneaks up on you and takes you by surprise; and it may leave you pondering the darker side of human nature. I rate this one 7/10.
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jhclues19 February 2001
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disdressed1227 February 2007this is one odd movie,and i don't mean that in a bad way.it's basically about drifter(Owen Wilson)who's a serial killer.the difference is he poisons his victims.the interesting thing is,it's hard to pin down what his motive is.the movie might have explained it,but the movie is so subtle,it's hard to get everything.it may require repeat viewings to understand everything,and even then,you may not understand it all.if you like action in your movies,you might want to stay clear of this one.it tends to move slow,but to me,it was just compelling enough to keep watching.i won't say this is a bad movie(especially since i have just seen "Dracula 3000",the worst movie ever made)but it's not for everyone.for me The Minus Man is a 6/10
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helpless_dancer18 January 2002Typical Sundance film: weird and off beat. Vann Siegert is not your usual serial killer; no, he slays in peculiar ways. Siegert, a likable drifter, is starting to come unraveled but manages to keep his dark side locked away and his secrets his own. Good drama: thumbs up.
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The drifter Vann Siegert (Owen Wilson) is a polite and good looking man that does not drink, who drives his truck without specific destiny. When he sees people that he thinks deserve to die, he simply poisons them and hides their bodies. He has also daydream with two federal agents. When he settles in a small town, he is lodged by a couple with problems, gets a job in the post office and starts a relationship with his colleague Ferrin (Janeane Garofalo). After Christmas and many deaths, he leaves town.
"The Minus Man" is an original movie about serial killer. Owen Wilson plays a deranged cold-blooded serial killer that scares because he is sweet and loved by people around him, therefore totally different from the usual cliché of criminal. The singer Sheryl Crow has a minor, but effective participation in the role of an addicted junkie and his first victim in the story. The free merchandise of the manufacturer of sneakers is shameful and the "minus" of this good movie. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Um a Menos" ("Less One") -
bombersflyup11 August 2019The Minus Man is weird and random, but engaging without depth.
Something like his mail intake question, how it all averages out and he's the minus man of sorts without any personal reason. No explanation's given. Janeane Garofalo who usually plays the witty comedian, plays a regular person here and likable as the girlfriend. Vann shouldn't make strong connections, because he will have to move on so that he doesn't get caught, but he does. At the end he attacks his girlfriend for some weird reason and Doug kills his wife without explanation and then himself taken away, leaving Vann without any connections to break. So the film ends without any conclusion for him and you ask what's it all for. -
It's a movie that prompts the viewer to look inward rather than show gore, tension or the usual thriller ingredients (this is the reason as to why I stressed the lack of thrill). The film's approach is very laid back, focusing on the ordinariness of life that hides something terrible; the pace is everything but fast, nevertheless the story is filled with some fascinating elements that compensate for the lagging rhythm. Despite suffering from this pacing "The Minus Man" is a smart movie because it makes reflect and presses to think twice about strangers we come across; there's a lot of character depth and the audience, in spite of never being really scared, becomes more interested when learning something about the killer.
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HBL@NYU1 October 1999First of all, I'm a film student, which ruins one's ability to sit and watch without becoming hyper-critical, and seeing every little glitch or mistake. So, let me apologize in advance!
In reading user's comments, I'm wondering if we are talking about the same film. The film I saw lacked craft and skill in the creation, and the audience that I viewed it with, laughed when it wasn't supposed to be funny. It was so poorly acted, that it was hard to tell what was comical, and what was mystery. A couple of people got up and left the film, and I saw lots of people shaking their heads.
First of all, the acting was completely unbelievable, especially from the main actor. I sat through the entire movie thinking "who cares?" I realize that the main character was supposed to be "dull and unexciting," however, I don't feel there was ever any payoff of any kind. Even when he was supposed to be exciting and peak in energy, it was dull and boring. When the plot was supposed to become "edgy," I was so un-interested, I couldn't have cared less what he did next.
From a technical standpoint, the lighting was completely dull and flat, and the camera work, though sufficient, was also boring. The entire FX sound track, and some dialogue was out of sync with the picture.
The storyline seemed like it could have worked as a murder-mystery thriller, but because of such poor execution, it turned out to be one of the worst movies I've seen in a while. -
hippiedj22 April 2001"I've never done anything violent to anybody, just the minimum that was necessary. No fear, no pain, they just go to sleep. But after it's done there's no going back, no second chance, if I made a mistake I'll pay for it."
The Minus Man is a very special film. It doesn't rely on sleuthing and big chases to find the truth. It doesn't have big car chases and women being chased through hallways or down dark streets. What it DOES do is show how subtlety can be more deeply disturbing and effective in telling a story about a serial killer that enters a small town and changes the lives of those who are drawn to him.
"You don't always choose WHAT you do, sometimes what you do chooses YOU. That's where discipline comes in." Vann (Owen Wilson) speaks lines such as that one throughout the story, and in many ways they help you understand him (yet not completely) and what may hinder his actions. He's likeable, quiet, and seems to be what people want or perceive him to be: their friend, tenant, and co-worker. Vann just happens to start breaking his personal rules and poisoning people nearby, and things start getting complicated. But we like Vann, we have affections for him, we know what he's doing is wrong but we want him to be alright.
His landlords Doug (Brian Cox, cinema's original Hannibal Lecter) and Jane (Mercedes Ruehl), have their own skeletons in the closet and it seems that everyone ELSE'S problems are what could mess up Vann's quiet killing spree.
Owen Wilson handles his role with such ease, eating his Clark bars and having discussions with imaginary detectives played by Dwight Yoakam and Dennis Haysbert. These scenes show an extension of Vann's psyche, and actually keeps him in check, maintaining his sanity really. Janeane Garofalo is surprisingly affecting and quite serious as the co-worker with a crush on Vann. A major surprise is the wonderful performance of Laurie played by singer Sheryl Crow.
It's nice to see such a beautifully crafted psychological "thriller" where we as the audience are part of the atmosphere around Vann, seeing more than anyone else yet not completely let in on his reasoning. I didn't find this method elusive, rather it was giving us the chance to witness a portion of time in a town, what happened there, and then Vann moves on, leaving us to wonder what his next chapter will be. The great thing is that you will never be bored by this--all the conversations, the thoughts in his head, the killings, we get to absorb them into our minds and figure it all out for ourselves.
The Minus Man is a subtle and brilliant film from Hampton Fancher. A very human story that doesn't need buckets of blood and people chasing everyone around. It leaves many things throughout to help you gather your own clues and interpretations and is guaranteed to have you discussing it long after it's over. I am very happy to have this DVD in my collection, and most stores don't stock a title like this because it's not "top hits" fare...do yourself a favor and seek this one out, it makes a nice companion piece to Egoyan's film "Felicia's Journey."
If one thing left an impression on me to this day, it's the headline on a newspaper Vann was reading in a diner: "Boy Trapped Inside Travelling Exhibit"...a rather nice metaphore on Vann's situation I think....no? Well, we could talk about it for HOURS.......... -
There's a curious mood to this odd film that belies the grim, grisly subject matter. It's almost a waking dream - a gauzy, hazy, half conscious remembrance of something vaguely unpleasant. The film takes such deliberate time in revealing the magnitude of the killer's pathology that it eventually feels as inevitable as a lazy canoe ride down river towards an unseen waterfall. What's most disturbing, most curious is that the fateful waterfall never arrives. The film just idly slips away into the murky mist of our most primal, most unnamed terrors. Owen Wilson's laconic demeanor and syrupy drawl effectively paint a compelling picture of a desperately disconnected but amiable loner. His eternally forlorn expressions are matched by an insistently melancholic soundtrack creating a tone that's unusually restrained and subdued for a genre that normally revels in overblown melodramatic spectacle. With so much technology today meticulously and cavalierly contriving obscenely graphic, hyper real vistas of nightmarish hell, it's actually refreshing to encounter a film that relies almost exclusively on the power of suggestion to implant deep within our psyches its special horror. Be patient and this nasty little movie will whisper some horribly dark voodoo into your soul.
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There's a lot going on inside the head of a quiet, likable serial killer (Owen Wilson), but since the story is told pretty much without going into any inside information about him, we're left in the dark until the inconclusive ending. Nevertheless, some people will watch this all the way through without really getting it, because the central performance of Owen Wilson is captivating.
He seems like a complacent, not too bright fellow troubled by hallucinations and unpleasant feelings as he tries to deal with his own demons. Nobody suspects that he's harboring a deep secret as a mild-mannered man guilty of methodically killing several strangers whose lives have touched his. No real explanation is ever given for his state of mind or his preoccupation with killing and how it started.
The cast is competent enough but none of the supporting characters have much depth. They're all enigmas whose behavior is never satisfactorily explained. Perhaps the novel offered more of an in depth look at the muddled reasons, but the film seems to deliberately skirt all the answers while at the same time offering an interesting performance by Wilson that does involve the viewer in the unsubstantial plot.
Not a film for everyone, it will leave some indifferent to the overall storyline and quirky characters. -
filmgurl20 September 1999There's a great trailer for this film that shows a couple on a date talking about a movie they just saw. It shows them in various locations and at each place, they're involved in animated discussion about various aspects of the film. Then suddenly, the sun is rising and the couple discovers they've been talking all night. When the woman realizes the hour, she takes off in a mad rush. She is late for work. When she arrives, she finds a couple of people floating face down in a pool. They are dead. She is a lifeguard. The tag line for the trailer says something along the lines of "The Minus Man, it'll have you talking for hours." It's a clever trailer for an even more clever movie!!
Holy Hampton Fancher! This guy is amazing. He wrote the screenplay from a book by the same title. The script is so incredibly well written that it really DOES leave you talking for hours. Each character is so dimensional you could eat them like a multi-layered subway sandwich.
Owen Wilson does an amazing job playing the likeable Vann. So amazing in fact, that not only does he manage to melt everyone's heart in the town, the audience falls in love with him too. That characteristic is key in creating a believable, and deeply dimensional, disturbing character.
Brian Cox is also amazing as the masochistic, fatherly landlord.
Janeane Garafalo breaks out of her "I'm so unamused" role, to play a fairly carefree, almost naive small town girl.
Some people have commented that this film moves too slowly. In making it, Hampton Fancher said he wanted it to move like a lullaby. Well, that it does. And it is as sweetly sung a lullaby as I've ever heard. I cuddled up into my theatre seat and sat back and enjoyed every minute of it.
I could go on and on for hours and hours about the complexity and implications of this movie, but I won't so you can go and enjoy it yourself! Then email me. We could talk about it for hours.
A Must See. One of This Year's Best!!! -
rmax3048239 August 2013Dare I say this is a movie for adults and sensitive others about still another serial killer? Yes. As a thriller, this ranks up there behind "Citizen X" and about at the level of "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer." Owen Wilson is the killer adrift in a world of lower middle-class environments and jobs. Wilson has always been hard to categorize. He has an innocent look about him, a baby face, a high and slightly cracked voice, that with his pursed lips and wavy blond hair would suggest femininity, only his features are re-masculinized by a broken nose that does a couple of zig-zags down the center of his face.
His character is a genuinely nice guy. He's generous. He doesn't have much money but he pays the bar bill of a drunken junkie -- just before he kills her. He's gracious and easily satisfied. When he rents a frilly room temporarily in the house of the mentally ill Dwight Yoakum and the distraught Mercedes Ruehl, he couldn't be more gratified. "It's just right!" He's industrious without being ambitious. He finds a seasonal temporary job with the US Postal Service, sorting letters behind the counter and going odd jobs, but he's so efficient and his character so unassuming that he's promoted to mail carrier.
But he has this disturbing habit of offing people he thinks might hurt others, or at least that's as far as his rationalizations have got him. He doesn't put much effort into thinking about it and it doesn't occupy much of his life space. Violence is never involved. He simply mixes a bit of exotic poison with the Amaretto he carries around in a flask. The victim, who has done nothing to annoy Wilson, just drifts off into The Big Sleep, quickly and painlessly. What a nice guy. No kidding, every time something good happens to him his voice rings with wonder and amazement at his good fortune, like a child's.
I didn't mind him so much when he poisoned the football hero. I never liked football anyway. My game is trying to roll over in bed in the middle of the night. But I was worried when Wilson took up with his co-worker at the PO, played by Janeane Garafalo. She's a nice postal worker and I didn't care for it when, out of nowhere, while she's perfectly willing to shag a bit, he starts treating her like rough trade. He's been nothing but an accommodating gentleman up to now, so where did THAT come from? Well, we don't know. Neither does Wilson's character. In fact, he's quite good. And so is Garafolo in her ordinariness. Dwight Yoakum, who is given to beating himself up, is properly pitiful. And Mercedes Ruehl as his initially unfriendly wife is positively superb. Her performances sizzles on the screen.
I didn't imagine I'd find myself recommending another serial killer movie. They've become a genre unto themselves designed for cretins. But this one is different. The musical score is by Marco Beltrami and doesn't have a single electronic percussion in it, nor is it formulaic. Hamptom Fancher, whom I remember only as Sue Lyon's main squeeze in Puerto Vallarta, has directed it with skill, leaving puzzles exactly where puzzles belong. -
This film was billed as a psychological thriller. It was psychological, but not particularly thrilling. At the end, I wondered what was the point. For a movie about a serial killer, it really didn't have much of a plot. If you want an aimless look inside the mind of an amiable killer, rent this movie. If you want an actual story, look elsewhere.
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stephen313 May 2001"A person's brain is like a pet- sometimes it gets loose, sometimes it gets lost, sometimes it sort of behaves itself and stays in the yard."
This film isn't a mystery in the sense of a whodunnit, it's more of an examination of the mystery and strangeness of people, and the minutely strange things we do. Hampton Francher tows a taut line of existential inquest. This film defies categorization and really does get the gears turning by creating a complete world with an unrelentingly quiet unease. This film is what I'd call a mirror film, it's uninflected and amoral, so the ultimate interpretation is left to us. -
jeffy-311 July 2000THE MINUS MAN * * 1/2 Owen Wilson (Twister, The Haunting) is a mild-mannered serial poisoner who settles briefly in a small town and sort of romances postal worker Janine Garafolo. Not sure what the point was but the movie was reasonably interesting and very well acted. Dwight Yoakum plays one of the two imaginary cops who haunts the killer's nightmares.
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paulb-828 May 2000The Minus Man B/B+ 5.23.00 1.85:1/5.1 First Viewing 16:9 Enhanced
Much creepier than Clay Pigeons, this story focuses on a serial killer and his life when he is not stalking others. This film is not gory or gross; its more matter-of-fact. The DVD includes production notes and bios on famous serial killers. -
wes-connors1 September 2008Mild-mannered serial killer Owen Wilson (as Vann Siegert) drives his truck around, and kills an asthmatic junkie played by Sheryl Crow; then, he rents a small town room from Brian Cox and Mercedes Ruehl (as Doug and Jane Durwin). The couple seem to be getting over the possible loss of a daughter ("Karen"), and begin to treat Mr. Wilson as a member of their cold, distant family. He's a good fit. Mr. Cox offers fatherly help in getting Wilson a job at the post office; there, he meets Janeane Garofalo (as Ferrin). Ms. Garofalo is attracted to Wilson, but he appears disinterested.
Hampton Fancher's "The Minus Man" is baffling. What's up with the imaginary room entrance, the borrowed truck, and the head bashing? What compels Wilson? Was it the spider that crawled in his ear? Are the detectives imaginary, or from the future? Like Vann says, "There's a mystery here that I could one day be tempted to explore, when I learn it better." The film is interesting and well-performed, but only minimally satisfying as a story.
****** The Minus Man (1999) Hampton Fancher ~ Owen Wilson, Janeane Garofalo, Brian Cox -
steve-57518 January 2004I cannot believe I just wasted two hours of my life on this movie. Normally if a movie is boring, I'll usually turn it off. But this movie was slow moving but kind of intriguing from the start. I kept thinking that something interesting would eventually happen but it never did. By the end of the movie, you're left feeling that very little happened and nothing was resolved. They could have saved a lot of money and effort by just making this into a faster paced one-hour episode of "Law & Order" instead of dragging this movie on for two hours.
Also, wasn't this the same movie as "American Psycho" except a lot less entertaining? I would suggest that movie instead. -
oOgiandujaOo_and_Eddy_Merckx7 March 2007*Just a health warning from the start, you might find that if you're depressive this film does generate a desire for suicide.*
What we have here is something to challenge your most basic social assumptions. Yes even yours, my countercultural amigo. We have a charming serial killer (Vann Siegert played by Owen Wilson), we have a killing spree across anonymous, sunlit rural America. Anyone thinking American Perfekt? Well what we have here is a bit more special than even that great movie.
Here we have a gentle blond-haired murderer whose weapon of choice is a poisoned flask of amaretto (what better way to die?). He's so nice that when he sees an upturned rubbish bin at a lay-by on the highway he rights it and puts the rubbish back in. Because of his sweet character we are left to wonder at the motive for his murders, and it is not contradictory as some have suggested. Vann really believes he's being charitable.
The first good deed of Vann we see is him putting a hardup depressed junkie out of her misery quietly and calmly, without pain. 'Well done' we're led to think for correcting this error, for subtracting this subtraction, for this analgesic act. This complicity leads us into unease as his next victim is the local football star, who, we are told can get into any college he wants to and is all set on joining the FBI afterwards. Zounds! Eftsoon we are lead to wonder what sort of life we are leading. Where even success is failure in the mental calculus of Vann Siegert. Indeed what fool would suspect that football+college+fbi=happiness? Perhaps some of you gin veterans, some of you workaday grunts (and I am one too - sigh) are nodding in agreement? This killer seems less of a Satan and more of an Evening Star. Here we have insight from the slacker culture, Vann tells us that his job running mail is the best he's ever had, something he could imagine doing forever. Why do we spend our waking hours consumed by greed and striving for status? This killer with argent veins, with his reaving net, a new Jesus? His message: to live life with never a sting.
It will take giant nerves from you raving teens to carry on sympathising after he murders a stressed working man after an incredibly brief encounter at a diner. He seems to become more reckless as the movie carries on.
It has been suggested that Vann Siegert 'is merely a reflection of what those who encounter him want him to be'. Indeed when Vann takes a room with Doug and Jane (Brian Cox and Mercedes Ruehl) he quite creepily takes over the role of their absent daughter whom they pine for. And whilst certainly most of us have the so-called Freudian death-wish it would certainly be a stretch to suggest that Vann is acting with any sort of moral authority in fulfilling it for us. Common sense suggests that if you found out someone you knew had murdered the local football hero, to save him having to suffer his perfect life, you would give them a damned good kicking. 'The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions' is the tagline from American Perfekt but would serve well for this movie.
It's quite an unnerving film because of how submissive Owen Wilson's portrayal of this character is. Something we're not used to seeing on screen. Brian Cox's masochistic portrayal of Doug is also unsettling.
Have yourself an arts evening, The Minus Man will keep you discussing sophomoric philosophy long in to the night, as the theatrical trailer promised. It suggests to me the old dichotomy between ancient and modern philosophy, those great Romans believed that one must have a reason to live, and failing that drink a bitter draught. These days living is default and we must have a reason to die. Perhaps that's how our absurd culture manages to perpetuate itself.
I can't claim to have The Minus Man all squared in my head. Wherefore the mysterious fainting of Siegert, who murdered Jane and why, the extent to which Siegert may be manipulated by supernatural forces or perverse destiny. What the hell was going on between Ferrin and Vann? Of course this suggests that the film will reward multiple viewings.
Perhaps the best reason to watch the film for all you bloods out there is that Mercedes Ruehl in this movie is most eminently f***able. Real wet dream material.
In case you are nauseated by my dizzying verbosity consider how many of the instances of it in this review are anagrams of Vann Siegert. Something to ponder my friends. Especially as Vann in not in any encyclopedia of first names. I would suggest that 'never a sting' may be an intentional anagram. -
o_lopez27 September 2002I have seen The Minus Man on cable and I liked it. The cast is good, The story is good. I didn't know Owen Wilson was a very good actor. I always knew Garofalo could portray those types of roles in a movie. For the ones who say that the movie is slow, the director wanted the movie to be slow. Everyone wants to see action or keep a memorable quote or a message of life nowadays; go see the five movies that get hailed as the best movies of the year in awards ceremonies. That's what the voting members vote for anyways. I won't say that The Minus Man is perfect (I'd give a 7) but it doesn't deserve a -1 voting either. Hey, this movie was made in '99 and a lot of great movies were made in 1999. The fact that we see the movie in a weird serial killer's perspective may put some people off.
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steve_efford8 January 2001The most boring movie I have ever had the misfortune to watch. With the cast it had it should have been at least watchable...I kept waiting for something interesting to happen...and finally it did...it ended. If you need some sleep I recommend this movie.
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MarieGabrielle12 August 2009Recently re-viewed this film again, and was struck by the direction, overall intriguing performances and suspense throughout.
Owen Wilson gives a surprisingly real performance as complex and tortured character,Van, an aimless man with serious issues. As the story develops we see his splitting-off persona, and fictive characters (well-portrayed as police detectives,i.e.; His alter-egos).His pathology is never fully explained, even as he tries to psychoanalyze himself with voice over narrative.
A brilliant film written by Hampton Fancher.First decent suspense film I have seen since Hitchcock.Highly recommended. 10/10. -
If you hate David Lynch movies or any of those other symbolic, art-house (though i hate using that term), and very independent films, please leave. This won't be too worthwhile for you. Really. Go search "A Beautiful Mind" or "Spider-Man" instead. Heck, I don't know what you're doing on this page to be honest. Okay. Buh-bye. Shalom.
Acting is often an overlooked power of a movie. If used correctly, It can save a movie, and/or possibly make it worthwhile ("Rushmore" and even "Life is Beautiful" would have been weak and sub-par had it not been for Schwartzman and Murray's/Begnini's performances). "The Minus Man" is my best example of an acting movie. Within the first ten minutes, I was immediately mesmerized by Wilson's performance (who, by the way, knowing the general publics tendency to trash actors, will have to eventually decide what kind of movies he wants to make - smart comedies, independent dramas, or popcorn action flicks) as the seemingly earnest and down to earh killer, whose actions seem to be a reflection of his emotions and the way he sees life, rather than simply an act of ruthlessnes. Brian Cox also shines in his performance, and so does Jeneanne Garofalo, who oddly succeeds in portraying a character whose personality is much different from her typical sarcastic "the world stinks" characters.
The script has a few problems, and we sometimes don't know what's going on. However, by the end, we understand that this is part of the movie,and the mystery is there for a reason and is part of the movie's apparent symbolism.
"The Minus Man" is a noticably flawed movie, but if we can forgive its mistakes and take notice of that fact that what we see is all intentional, it will make the perfect thought provoking movie-experience. -
ebolabrahmin21 May 2000Minus man stands as a deeply cynical and cold movie. It is shot smartly, but is not pleasant to watch. Contrary to the trailer, there was little to talk about after the film. No mystery, no magic; just another stylish, cold and long strip of celluliod that takes money from you wallet, and hours off your life. At least American Psycho was funny and pointed, go see that instead. Or go see Clay Pigeons.