Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead (1995)

Directed by: Gary Fleder | 115 minutes | drama, comedy, romance, crime | Actors: Andy Garcia, Christopher Lloyd, William Forsythe, Bill Nunn, Treat Williams, Jack Warden, Steve Buscemi, Fairuza Balk, Gabrielle Anwar, Christopher Walken

‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992) is a good frame of reference for ‘Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead’. Although director Gary Fleder claims that the script was written long before Tarantino’s breakthrough came out, ‘TTDIDWYD’ (the title comes from the lamented songwriter Warren Zevon) can be seen as the sympathetic, somewhat retarded brother of ‘RD’. Both films feature a group of second-rate gangsters who are suspicious of each other, the bizarre Steve Buscemi makes an appearance and the dialogues steal the show.

Where in ‘RD’ the streetwise action is still central, ‘TTDIDWYD’ is going on a charm tour. The gangster boys are so clumsy you’d hold them in front of your local city guard, no matter how tattooed, battle-sick, touchy, or short-tempered they are. They are bound together by Jimmy ‘the Saint’, a man in a suit but also a hopeless romantic who is willing to humiliate the molester of an equally endearing hooker (Fairuza Balk) in front of his colleagues; meanwhile, he also tries to win the heart of the ravishing Dagney (Gabrielle Anwar), who loves puppies and is about to be engaged, but of course also likes Jimmy’s Latin charms.

Andy Garcia does his job effortlessly, with a wink and it stays in balance. We follow him throughout the film, who effortlessly jumps from mainline to side-slope and back again. It’s just a bit flat, so we have to limit ourselves to concepts like disarming and entertaining. Nowhere is there a dramatic climax; not even when Jimmy has to pay for the cynical man with the plan. The characters also have a high sense of déjà vu. Buy a Christopher Walken DVD compilation or watch Charlie (Harvey Keitel) in ‘Mean Streets’ (1973). Chances are, the makers of “Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead” preceded you.

The fact that it is nevertheless a pleasant session is due to the reserved humor, the dialogues and here and there a nice character, which is sometimes driven to the edge of the imaginable. Steve Buscemi as a desperado in the twilight? “Buying street news?” is your first thought.