3/2/2000
The Whole Nine Yards stars Bruce Willis as Jimmy Jones/Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski, Matthew Perry as Dr. 'Oz' Oseransky , Rosanna Arquette as Sophie Oseransky , Michael Clarke Duncan as Frankie "Figs" Figaroa, Natasha Henstridge as Cynthia, Amanda Peet as Jill, Kevin Pollak as Janni Gogolack.
The Whole Nine Yards is a comedy about an unhappy couple, a hitman, and $10 million dollars. Oz is a dentist living with a French Canadian wife and her mother in Canada. He is paying off a debt embezzled by his father-in-law when they were in business together. As soon as the debt is payed off his wife and her mother will leave him. One morning he sees a new neighbor moving in next door. He introduces himself only to notice a tulip tattoo on his neighbor's arm. Oz recognizes him as Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski, a hitman from Chicago. He runs home to tell his wife. She insists that he go to Chicago and claim a finders fee from the Hungarian mob for telling him where Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski is hiding. When Oz leaves for Chicago, Sophie tells Jimmy about her husband. He's worth more dead than alive to her. Sophie is playing all angles.
Once in Chicago, Oz is taken to see the boss, Janni Gogolack. He also meets Cynthia, Jimmy's ex-wife! Oz falls in love with her at first sight! In order to get the $10 million dollars three people or their death certificates are required to sign for the money. With any two people dead the remaining one can collect. The people are: Cynthia, Janni, and Jimmy.
This comedy is about plot twists, hitmen, and wives who want to be ex's. For me it was predictable! The twists and turns took too long to develop. The movie seemed too drawn out for the timing required for comedy. There were some good one-liners and surprises in this film, however, most were predictable.
The acting was superb, especially Matthew Perry. The rest of the cast is also very impressive with their ability to make you believe in their character. There is one nude scene of Amanda Peet. After that I was hoping for one with Natasha Henstridge, but that never materialized. For me this film did not work as well as it should have.
I give it 3 out of 5 flies: