Stiletto Dance (2001)

Good concept, poorly executed.

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Undercover New York police officers Eric Roberts (as Kit Adrian) and Romano Orzari (as Jay Flowers) go up against a ruthless Russian mafia, pretending to work for bleached-blond crime lord Shawn Doyle (as Anton Seaberg). Mr. Roberts invites even more danger by sleeping with the enemy's estranged wife, luscious Lucie Laurier (as Lena). This film's obvious intent is to bring female flesh and human blood to the home box office crowd, without resorting to anything hard-core. The female flesh is real, and the human blood is fake. On a cheap blood and guts level, "Stiletto Dance" is successful. Mr. Orzari and Yaphet Kotto (as Captain Sands) provide star Roberts with solid support. But, it's really Mr. Doyle's characterization of the temperamental bad guy, who keeps it moving.**** Stiletto Dance (6/8/01) Mario Azzopardi ~ Eric Roberts, Shawn Doyle, Romano Orzari, Lucie Laurier

Much better than I expected from a made-for-cable movie. Eric Roberts apparently can too act! Who knew? The plot is OK, and the direction is unobtrusive. Shawn Doyle plays the Russian baddie with flair. You might think he's taking it a bit over-the-top. But from what I hear, you really cannot caricature these Russki mafiosi as any more violent, evil jerks than they actually are. Canadian actress Lucie Laurier was stunningly beautiful, and totally nailed her part. As a bonus, Laurier and Doyle both did their accents pretty well, not overdoing them too much, but never getting caught out of them. Maybe not Streepian, but good. And the ending, well. There was the perfect opportunity for a standard sort of Hollywood ending, and the filmmakers took a pass on it. That's worth something all by itself. I'd say check it out if you can stand the gruesome violence.

Generic soda is hardly any different from the mainstream products. For example, Wegmans' Dr. W is exactly the same as Dr. Pepper, only at a much more decreased price. I'm not stingy, but generecism can be a good thing. This thought can apply to the film industry as well. Look at anything an actor named Bryan Genesse has done. His work is all mostly bland and unoriginal, but his films provide some fun low budget entertainment. He is the perfect example of a Hollywood generecist. Now lets take a look at Eric Roberts. He has a high profile sibling, but this adjective does not apply to his career. God bless him. His sister is winning oscars and he makes little gems like 1996's "The Grave" for example. How his career ever became this way, it's hard to piece together, but his work is worth making an analogy with my soda sermon. This film, "Stiletto Dance" isn't a bad one. Possibly made before "Fast and Furious", a story with a same vital plot turn, the movie does bare a merciful comparison. There are some fine women, fast-paced urban action and surprisingly great acting. There are some delightfully colorful characters, notably one named Binky and the lead villain. It is nowhere near perfect though. This is a movie that floats and lacks any grounding whatsoever, it heavily relies on some plot turns to keep it interesting. This is a problem, because the twist ending doesn't work and it seems written in at the last minute for some cheap thrills. It is manipulative, but that's not saying there some pretty good other twists along the way however.

Stiletto Dance was a made for HBO movie. HBO is known for its fine and large collection of self-made movies such as: "Rasputin" and "Hostile Waters". This film, while maybe not Oscar material, is a highly entertaining film none the less. The film centers around the Russian mafia of Buffalo, NY. The boss Anton, played by Shawn Doyle,is the most intriguing and entertaining character. This film was my first experience with Doyle, who delievers a marvelous performance. He gives Anton a powerful and dangerous, yet elegant and wildly entertaining personality. Anton's rants are early and often, and provide some of the most amusing elements of the film. Doyle (Anton) makes the littlest actions seem essential, for without him the film wouldn't be nearly as good. Anton is crazy yet calculated in his actions planning to sell a nuclear device to the Albanians for $100 Million. The film leads up to this after showing various examples of "heavy work". Anton plays the field making deals with rival organizations only to later break any and all ties. "You don't trust Anton?" The film also featured Eric Roberts, as the seasoned undercover veteran. Roberts actually does a good job with the role. Bringing together various factors to create a complex and multi-dimensional character. He is a healthy blend of a dedicated officer combined with a more evil, diabolical side. The film plays host to a wide range of action. It offers a more refreshing plot line than similar films. Overall, you will be entertained and amused by this film. Doyle's performance more than warrents a viewing by itself. 3 out of 4 stars.