ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 28, 1997 TAG: 9703280044
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: MOVIE REVIEW
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO THE ROANOKE TIMES
"The Devil's Own" is most easily enjoyed as a good Harrison Ford movie.
He's playing another solid, admirable hero - the kind of character that audiences like. He's so effective in the role that he keeps the loosely plotted story in focus, and he gets considerable help from Brad Pitt in another strong supporting role.
Unfortunately, the film isn't so enjoyable as a political thriller. In fact, the politics of the premise work against the visceral kick that a good thriller needs. That's an understandable and perhaps unavoidable flaw. The story is built around the "troubles" in Northern Ireland, a situation that's rich in conflict and shy on satisfying resolutions.
As one character says in a preachy moment, "Don't look for happy endings.
Frankie McGuire (Pitt) is an IRA terrorist who escapes a botched British ambush, and goes to America to hide. Actually, his real mission is to buy and bring back more deadly weapons to escalate the level of violence. With the help of a respectable judge (George Hearn), Frankie assumes a false identity and is sent to live with Tom O'Meara (Ford) and his family in their Brooklyn home.
O'Meara is an apolitical police sergeant who believes that he's simply helping out a young immigrant with bed and board. Of course, his wife, Shiela (Margaret Colin), and three daughters are thrilled by their handsome houseguest. And in the O'Mearas, Frankie finds the family that he lost to violence years before.
That domestic side of the film works well. Director Alan Pakula is comfortable with the characters and the New York locations. Ford and Pitt are completely believable, despite some scenes that strain credibility.
It's been widely reported that the original script underwent major changes when Pitt joined the cast and the character was enhanced to befit a star of his magnitude. That's easy to believe. Key plot elements involving Frankie's mission disappear for long stretches of time while the fellows bond and Frankie charms the ladies.
The screenwriters also run into problems when they try to turn a British agent into the villain of the film. They're on firmer ground when they blame wealthy Irish-Americans who fund the IRA, but that doesn't really work either. A thriller must have a good bad guy and this one doesn't.
Instead, it's got two excellent good guys - well, one good guy and one sort-of good guy, played by two immensely appealing actors.
The Devil's Own|
** 1/2
A Columbia Pictures release playing at Salem Valley 8 and Valley View 6. Rated R for violence and language. 107 minutes. |Harrison Ford protects his wife, played by Margaret Colin, from terrorists.|
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt turn in appealingby CNBperformances, but "The Devil's Own" lacks a good villain and doesn't
work as a political thriller. color.