The Escape Artist Reviews

Griffin O'Neal, son of "the greatest escape artist since Houdini," is trying to follow in his father's footsteps. He finds himself in way over his head, however, when he steals the wallet of Raul Julia, the corrupt mayor's son, who sends goons to threaten him. A simple story is lost in the film's complex structure, and only when O'Neal and Julia are on screen together does this directorial debut of cinematographer Caleb Deschanel come to life. The film also lacks the visual style Deschanel demonstrated as director of photography on THE BLACK STALLION (1979) and BEING THERE (1979) and later as the director of CRUSOE (1989).