Am I the only one who likes Gun Shy?

If you were to read the majority of the reviews of the 2000 film Gun Shy you would think it's an utterly execrable movie.

Well, maybe they're right but, apparently, I don't think so. Not given the number of times I've seen it. (I’ve lost count.) I’m not sure I can say it’s a good film (although I think it is). But I figure if I keep watching it, it must have something going for it.

First, I’d say the negative response to it is partly because of the kind of film it is and the time of it’s release. It’s got that tedious “gangster” milieu that Hollywood keeps trotting out and, at the time of its release, there were a number of movies around that were comedies set in this kind of environment. And the reviewers were right to think, “... Enough is enough!”

Still, despite that, I liked it. And I like it more the further away I get from that period of film when they were making comedic gangster movies. I can increasingly enjoy the film on its own merits, without contemporary context.

Secondly I, too, first reacted negatively to Liam Neeson in the primary role. It somehow didn’t fit. But again, I think that has more to do with context. At the time, I had an idea of what Neeson could do and that didn’t include comedy, certainly not one of this kind. He seemed too restrained for this. But, distanced from that time (circa 2000) and, to be honest, not having seen him in a film for quite a while (I haven’t seen Kinsey), it’s easier to accept him now in this role.

Thirdly, this movie has one of the funniest scenes I’ve seen in I don’t know how long and it’s one of the few scenes I laugh at no matter how many times I see it. It’s the "sleepy" scene between Neeson and Oliver Platt (who is priceless in the film!). I don’t know if others would find it funny but I sure as hell do.

I like this movie. A lot.

Tag: Movies, DVDs