Themes: Femmes Fatales, One Last Heist, Bank Robbery
Main Cast: Peter Gallagher, Alison Elliott, William Fichtner, Adam Trese, Joe Don Baker
Release Year: 1995
Country: US
Run Time: 99 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
A remake of the classic Robert Siodmak film noir Criss Cross, Steven Soderbergh's The Underneath follows much the same plot and narrative arc of the original, but expands the possibilities of its thriller structure to also explore the complexities and insecurities at the heart of modern relationships. Peter Gallagher stars as Michael, a compulsive gambler who returns to his Texas home for the wedding of his mother (Anjanette Comer). In his absence, his ex-wife Rachel (Alison Elliott) has married Tommy (William Fichtner), a ruthless local hood. Michael and Rachel soon resume their relationship, incurring Tommy's wrath. Out of their deceptions grows a plot to heist an armored car, a crime which requires the unwitting aid of Michael's stepfather (Paul Dooley) as well as a banker (Elisabeth Shue) with whom Michael shared a brief fling. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
Review
Awash in deceit, obsession, and opaque color schemes, Steven Soderbergh's loose adaptation of the 1948 noir classic Criss Cross ranks as one of the director's most ambitious projects, if not his most successful. Though the performers are stellar all around -- including a misanthropic Peter Gallagher, the always menacing William Fichtner, and a pre-Leaving Las VegasElisabeth Shue -- only the luminous newcomer Alison Elliot manages to generate any sort of audience sympathy. As the plot twists pile up, Soderbergh exhibits an impressive control of suspense, pacing, and tension, but the film remains curiously cold and distant. This is bank robbery as an escape from existential malaise; quite a different attitude from Soderbergh's loose, buoyant, and altogether superior take on crime just three years later, 1998's Out of Sight. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
Paul Dooley - Ed Dutton; Elisabeth Shue - Susan; Randall Brady - Ember Bartender; Helen Cates - Susan's Friend; Joseph Chrest - Mr. Rodman; Anjanette Comer - Mrs. Chambers; Shelley Duvall - Nurse; Harry Goaz - Guard (Casey); Dave Jensen - Satellite Dish Installer; Brad Leland - Man Delivering Money; John Martin - Justice Of The Peace; Richard Linklater - Ember Doorman; Paul Wright - TV Delivery Man #2; Tonie Perensky - Ember Waitress
Credit
John Frick - Art Director, Ronnie Yeskel - Casting, Karyn Wagner - Costume Designer, Steven Soderbergh - Director, Stan Salfas - Editor, Lionel Wigram - Executive Producer, Joshua Donen - Executive Producer, William Reid - Executive Producer, Cliff Martinez - Composer (Music Score), Cliff Martinez - Musical Direction/Supervision, Paul Ledford - Musical Direction/Supervision, Lizbeth Williamson - Makeup, Howard Cummings - Production Designer, Elliot Davis - Cinematographer, John Hardy - Producer, Jeanette Scott - Set Designer, Daniel Fuchs - Screenwriter, Steven Soderbergh - Screenwriter, Sam Lowry - Screenwriter, Don Tracy - Book Author
The Underneath is a 1995 film directed by Steven Soderbergh, based on the novel Criss Cross by Don Tracy. The plot revolves around many themes common to Film Noir, including romantic intrigue, a botched robbery, and a surprise ending.
Plot
Michael Chambers returns home to celebrate his mother's marriage. Michael had been ousted from his home town due to his gambling indiscretions and had left his wife to deal with the mess he created. He now must reassimulate back into the town, renew his relationships with his family and friends (and enemies) and, most-of-all, seek out his ex-wife to woo her again. In the process, he obtains a job working with his mother's new husband as an armored car driver. He almost seems the perfect prodigal son as he finds his niche back in the community and his way back into his ex's heart. His troubles surmount when he and his wife are caught in the act by her hoodlum boyfriend/fiancée. To get out of this predicament, Michael must concoct a plan to heist of a payroll being carried by his armored car company
