2000, R, 119 minutes

In 1994, after years of struggling for attention, Christopher McQuarrie's smart little script called The Usual Suspects finally caught someone's eye. The big twist was revealed across the country and about a year later he took home an oscar for best original screenplay. Following his success, McQuarrie was desperate to try something new, but all that anyone else wanted him to do was another crime movie. McQuarrie eventually gave in and wrote The Way of the Gun in a mere seven days, and after turning in the script he decided to fill the director's chair to boot. The result: a gritty, bloody, violent, and highly realistic kidnapping crime drama -- and despite running a little long in a few places, it's actually a pretty good film.

From the opening scene, we know for sure that this isn't going to be another run of the mill, pre-packaged Hollywood crap-fest. Immediately, we're bombarded with foul language, graphic violence, and a definite sense that for the next two hours the rules will no longer apply. Ryan Phillippe and Benicio Del Toro are basically just two guys, respectively going by the names of Mr. Parker and Longbaugh. With no direction in life or concern for the rules of society, they live from meal to meal and every day seems to be a new adventure -- that is until they decide to stop jerking around and make some real money. Without giving too much away, Juliette Lewis plays a pregnant woman acting as a surrogate mother for a wealthy couple. The plan is simple: kidnap the girl, hold her and the baby up for ransom, become 15 million dollars richer. Unfortunately, in the words of Mr. Parker, "the longest distance between two points is a kidnapper and his money." This certainly holds true in The Way of the Gun, as several characters enter the mix and the situation becomes very complicated.

What makes this film unique and interesting is that it never resorts to what you might expect. All of the characters seem to exist in the "gray zone," as it's often called, where there aren't such clean-cut lines of division between good and evil. Don't get me wrong, Phillippe and Del Toro play a couple of guys who are unquestionably immoral, but they also reveal a good side to their characters in the same way that the "good guys" reveal a bad side. As is often seen in real life, everyone has their own agenda and they will act upon it accordingly. With about ten major characters involved and a severe lack of loyalty between them, McQuarrie is able to develop a feeling of tension throughout the film and also delivers a few clever surprises in the process.

Essentially, the reason The Way of the Gun works is because it chooses a path to take and never once abandons it. There is an indescribable feeling of honesty built deep into the story. Imagine if you were to kidnap someone. Moving past the fact that you probably wouldn't do it, your next thought might be about how much less glamorous and exciting it would be compared to the movies. Well, The Way of the Gun captures this. The only problem is: real life can be dull and sluggish at times and that's what happens to parts of the story, not to mention a few instances of over-the-top dialogue. On the upside, however, the shoot-outs are simply amazing. In fact, the gunplay is some of the best to reach the silver screen in the last few years. As our main characters battle in a war of bullets, we gain a sense of vulnerability as if we were actually watching it all in person. This can be attributed mostly to some top-notch editing, as well as some of the best sound work since Saving Private Ryan. I was literally stunned at the sound of gunfire, as the shots in this film are loud and piercing and echoing just like the sound of a real gun.

Although the year 2000 is far from over as I write this review, I can safely testify that Ryan Phillippe wins the award for best career move. Having previously appeared only in teen flicks such as I Know What You Did Last Summer or Cruel Intentions, Phillippe breaks free from his past and turns in an excellent performance. Never so quickly have I seen an actor go from "sensitive and caring" to "gun wielding bad-ass." Equally good are Benicio Del Toro and Taye Diggs, and James Caan is as suave and tough as ever. Also, Juliette Lewis seems to be out of her slump, as she was perfectly cast for the role of the pregnant abductee.

One thing that's important to keep in mind about this western/crime flick is that it definitely isn't for everyone. It's very, very bloody and violent (not gratuitous) and will mostly appeal to male moviegoers, but despite running a little long in a few places, The Way of the Gun is an original, enjoyable film.