The tale of a down-and-out detective and a seamy femme fatale is a thoroughly professional little entertainment.
Set in contemporary Nevada, pic gets off to a fast start with a small-time con couple (Michael Madsen, Joanne Whalley-Kilmer) scoring big when they cop a suitcase full of cash from a pair of Mafia bagmen. The antiheroine beans her beau with a rock and takes off for a round of fast living in Reno. She asks a seedy detective, Jack (Val Kilmer), to fake her murder.
As he is in hock to a group of ruthless loan sharks, Jack is only too happy to oblige but still smart enough not to trust her. Consequently he’s well prepared for the round of murders, double crosses and escapes that make up the film’s last half.
Whalley-Kilmer takes to the role of a really bad girl with glee, always seeming to be just barely wearing whatever outfit she’s shimmied into. Kilmer is somewhat less successful with his part, as it’s difficult to tell how smart or stupid he’s meant to be. Both Kilmers get fine support from Madsen as a fully functioning psychotic.
