Details
Movie Description
Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) is a small-time car thief about to be released from jail in time for Christmas. When his cellmate, Nick, is suddenly killed, Rudy decides to take on his identity in order to meet Nick's beautiful pen-pal girlfriend, Ashley (Charlize Theron). The couple has fun until her psychotic brother, Gabriel (Gary Sinise), shows up. Gabriel and his gang want to hold up a casino where Nick had once worked, and they blackmail Rudy/Nick into going along with the scheme. Rudy has to bluff his way through the crime, pretending to be Nick in order to avoid being killed while trying to sabotage the plans of the bad guys. Will Rudy be able to outsmart the bad guys, or will he end up facedown in the snow?
Double crosses abound in this frosty film noir action movie boasting a twisty script by writer Ehren Kruger (SCREAM 3, ARLINGTON ROAD) and assured direction by veteran John Frankenheimer (THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, RONIN), plus a sneaky sense of humor and plenty of Christmas references.
Synopsis
Ben Affleck stars as Rudy Duncan, a recently paroled car thief who assumes the identity of his murdered cellmate, Nick, in order to meet the woman Nick had a romantic correspondence with. When her violent brother learns that Rudy/Nick has connections to a Native American casino, he forces Rudy into helping him pull off a dangerous heist. As Rudy finds himself falling deeper into danger, his alias becomes harder to expose.
Film Notes
DVD Features:
Director's Cut
Region 1
Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Additional Release Material:
Deleted Scenes
Audio Commentary - 1. John Frankenheimer - Director
Making-Of
Trailer - 1. Original Theatrical Trailer
Interactive Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Theatrical release: February 5, 2000.
Shooting location: Prince George and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The film was originally scheduled for release in December 1999 but was pushed back to February 2000. After the move the title was briefly changed to DECEPTION out of fear that REINDEER GAMES was too closely related to Christmas.
The movie was filmed near Vancouver, British Columbia.
The soundtrack features Dean Martin singing "Let It Snow."
Industry Reviews
"...A knockout of a surprise ending....Frankenheimer keeps the picture racing along..."
Movieline - p.33 - Stephen Farber (04/01/2000)
"...Frankenheimer is the siege engine that keeps the REINDEER action flying on all cylinders..."
Rolling Stone - p.82 - Peter Travers (03/16/2000)
"...Breathlessly paced..."
Variety - p.40 - Todd McCarthy (02/28/2000)
"...Mr. Frankenheimer has an entertaining bent for swift, scary violence with 1960's cracks and reverbs on the soundtrack for an old school reference point....The vividness of the expert cast makes the movie feel lived-in..."
New York Times - p.E20 - Elvis Mitchell (02/25/2000)
"...Affleck is a likeable lead..."
Total Film - Neil Smith (01/01/2001)
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