I was expecting much more visual stylizing from director Volker Schlondorff than I got here. In the end, it is E. Max Frey's script, based on a novel called "Just Another Sucker" by James Hadley Chase that saves this from being a rather pointless exercise.

Of course, the acting is good, but it's nothing all that spectacular. The worst of it seems to be that there are absolutely no sparks between Elisabeth Shue and Woody Harrelson. Thanks goodness, Harrelson's character Harry Barber (uck) just got out of prison or we'd never believe that he'd leave cutie Gina Gershorn at home to roll around with Shue. This pairing is supposed to be hot but it really isn't. It's too bad to because that's the first 20 minutes of the movie. The only thing we really notice is that Shue's tits look huge. I wonder if she's had a boob job. Luckily, Chloe Sevigny ("Kids") shows up to make the film come to life. She has an absolute blast here and enjoys every minute on the screen. Harrelson can only  kick back, smile that grin of his, and let her fly. Then Michael Rappaport comes along and has some fun too. They keep the film light.

And it's good that they do this because the film gets bogged down in a pretty heavy plot that would be tedious if everyone involved wasn't having so much fun with it. And when scripter Frye gets to pull some major plot jabs that really rock the film. It keeps you interested. You won't be able to figure out what's going to happen next.  "Palmetto" has a great plot, good acting and adequate direction. Schlondorff could have made a masterpiece with what he had to work with here. At least he does an competent
job behind the camera.

Note: Some loop voice work done by Brain Doyle-Murray and Matt McCoy.

he film was released in Schlondorff's Germany with the title "Dumme Sterben Nicht Aus."

Songs by OMC and David Byrne included.

Filmed in Florida.

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