Jerry and Tom Reviews

With an occasional flashback as guide, this production chronicles the advanced coursework in assassination techniques that callow Jerry (Sam Rockwell) pursues with Tom (Joe Mantegna), a veteran hitman. At first, Jerry hangs on Tom's every word as he witnesses his mentor's finesse in ridding their boss Billy (Maury Chaykin) of irritants, such as an extraneous business associate named Karl (William H. Macy). However, Jerry starts enjoying his job too much and ignores Tom's key credos: Don't let a victim suffer needlessly, and don't be a show-off. When they're supposed to eliminate Vic (Charles Durning), a retired crony who's written a tell-all biography, Jerry improvises with a hypodermic needle. Can Billy afford to keep Jerry on the payroll after he rashly eliminates an accountant at a public racetrack? Will Tom's duty to Billy surpass his affection for Jerry? Viewing the human condition through the distorted lens of mob life, this black comedy wallows in facile cynicism. Rick Cleveland's talky screenplay tackles the Big Issues, but offers no fresh insights as these loquacious yet soulless felons literally execute their duties. We're meant to chuckle and gasp when they dismember victims as casually as a butcher might handle a side of beef, but haven't Mamet and Tarantino done this sort of thing before — and better? On the plus side, this gangland version of Waiting for Godot boasts several star turns, most notably from Durning as a smooth pro who claims responsibility for hits on JFK and Elvis.