Kiss of Death (1995)

Kiss of Death: Directed by Barbet Schroeder. With David Caruso, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicolas Cage, Helen Hunt. A reformed convict goes undercover with the help of an angry detective to ensnare a psychotic mobster.

“Ex-con Jimmy Kilmartin agrees to drive a truck of stolen cars as a favour to a friend. Whilst on the job he gets caught but refuses to role over on the others involved. Whilst in prison his wife is killed in a car crash and Jimmy leaves prison, bitter but with a determination to move on. However NYPD officer Calvin wants to use Kilmartin to get close to Little Junior Brown and get evidence to shut him down.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis was one of several vehicles that was planned to turn David Caruso from a TV hit to a big screen star – as we know, it didnu0026#39;t work out that way. However the story is pretty solid, it doesnu0026#39;t break new ground and thereu0026#39;s nothing outside of the usual crime thriller plot to surprise you but itu0026#39;s really quite good. At times itu0026#39;s a little dull because it is so straight forward but itu0026#39;s mostly entertaining.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCaruso, for all his current lack of success, is actually very good. The problem is that heu0026#39;s good by doing the same u0026quot;NY Irish tough but fairu0026quot; role that he did in NYPD Blue, King of New York, Bodycount and most films heu0026#39;s done! Itu0026#39;s good but I donu0026#39;t think he can do anything else. Jackson has presence as he always does and the support cast is really well filled out with people like Helen Hunt, Stanley Tucci, Rapaport, Philip Baker Hall, Ving Rhames. Nicolas Cageu0026#39;s Little Junior is a mixed bag. At some points he is effective but for the most part heu0026#39;s horribly OTT and hammy. His character is full of ticks and eccentricities that at the end of the day thatu0026#39;s all Cage has to do.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOverall this is a solid thriller with no surprises. Caruso fans (like me) will like it regardless because itu0026#39;s Caruso doing his usual role. But others may not be so easily made to overlook the weaknesses.”