Review of Confidence

Introduction

You`d be forgiven for showing complete contempt at the prospect of yet another heist movie, as they`ve really been served up in heavy doses of ass crap since the success of the brilliant Ocean`s Eleven. Though usually equipped with terrific casts, this sudden new influx of film is fast becoming less credible, as it continues to turn out cliché riddled characters & the most absurd plot twists imaginable. Matchstick Men, one of the more recent efforts, garnered mixed feelings, as although it did adapt a fresh approach, it still derived hugely from the mistakes of previous films of its nature. The standard certainly doesn`t seem to be getting any better & it`s a genre that is fast becoming very tiresome indeed. Hollywood seems to be lacking screenwriters with balls who actually dare to break the rules & come up with something other than a script which is no more than a rehash of someone else`s superior work. At first glance, this effort certainly does little to inspire you with `Confidence` in that sense, as it seems to be just another telling of a group of people coming together for a score. You`ve read & heard this same premise more or less a hundred times before, and it`s starting to get bloody boring.

Confidence however has one thing going for it right from the start, and that`s the girl oozing seductive charm, Rachel Weisz. With that in-mind, I knew regardless of the quality of this film, I could still use it for alternative forms of entertainment. I knew my wrist was going to get a damn good work-out, which is the reason that I made sure I had a healthy stash of tissues nearby. I`m a sad pervert that way you see.

Edward Burns, better known for his role in `Saving Private Ryan`, plays Jake Rig, the grifter who calls all the shots. He`s the Daniel Ocean of this film, but a little cockier & a little less good-looking. Paul Giamatti, fresh from his critically acclaimed performance in `American Splendor` is thrown into the mix to supply the laughs, whilst Dustin Hoffman rounds off the leading cast as the ruthless mob-boss targeted by Rig`s gang. For a film that was shot with a budget of a mere $15 million, it did well in managing to conjure up some of the best talent in Hollywood today.

Video

As if seeing Rachel Weisz strutting her ass all over your screen wasn`t enough, Confidence easily boasts one of the best transfers replicated to DVD to date; it really is that good. I read online someplace that the actual transfer was drawn from the high definition Windows Media 9 prints of those you would normally find exclusive to DVD ROMs backed by high-end PCs, and it shows. The sharpness & detail are un-rivalled, certainly by any past Lions Gate release, and they`ve really set the standards for themselves with this.

Audio

Confidence is driven by heavy dialogue, whether it be periods of lengthy discussions between large groups of characters, or Edward Burn`s lengthy narrations, it`s all perfectly clear. This being much owed to the subtleness in the excellent soundtrack that accompanies most of the dialogue sequences, and as such, creates the perfect audible tone for the film.

Features

The real bulk of the extras come in the form of no less than three commentaries, all varying drastically in quality. First up is the cast commentary which is very odd to say the least, as it starts as a duet recording with Burns & Weisz, when all of a sudden there`s random input from the supporting cast in the form of audible extracts, which leads to a pretty disjointed & un-satisfying experience. Performing much better are the separate tracks recorded from the Director and first-time Screenwriter, with James Foley & Doug Jung both adapting a much more technical approach as opposed to the cast commentary which is very up-beat, regardless of its shortcomings.

The `Anatomy of a Scene` supplement acts as the disc`s routine documentary, though it`s definitely allot more informative than it is promotional. Every aspect of the production is dissected & laid out in-front of you by the director & writer with some terrific narration.

There are three deleted scenes, which have all been given the same outstanding technical treatment as the main feature`s transfer. One particular scene is used for Hoffman to showcase his genius, as he ad-libs through a number of humorous takes, where he`s auditioning dancers for his club. There`s also an extension on the Burns/Weisz relationship which shows them waking up the morning after an intimate encounter.

Rounding off the disc is some marketing material in the form of TV Spots & Trailers, as well as a soundtrack presentation.

Conclusion

Although Confidence never really threatens to break the boundaries of mediocrity, it does still carry plenty of style & charm, mainly owed to a terrific principle & supporting cast. Edward Burns did it for me in a big way, and I can`t help feeling that there`s a big name player in this guy, should he chose more roles that allow him to showcase the kind of charisma he displays here. Rachel Weisz also proves there`s more than one dimension in her performances when she`s not starring in Mummy movies, whilst the veteran Dustin Hoffman gives the kind of assuring performance that you feel belongs in a film full of youthful talent. The pace of the movie is consistent & steady, never threatening to fall below average nor escalate into greatness.

Lions Gate can`t be faulted for the effort put into this release, as it`s technically brilliant, whilst the extras aren`t too shabby either. The film is hit & miss, but for the most part, it gets things right & serves up yet another enjoyable treat with some truly great actors behind some memorable characters.