CLAY PIGEONS
by Lovell Mahan-Moutaw

Those little movies that get your blood pumping or your mind whirring or your juices flowing are the best little movies in the world. I'm talking about movies like Blood Simple and Red Rock West. You just don't expect the ride you are gonna get.

I believe that was the hope for Clay Pigeons. They came close but never quite made it.

Clay (Joaquin Phoenix) a nice guy who just happens to be screwing his best friend's wife, gets himself involved in a couple of deaths. He didn't do anything, except (on both occasions) fuck who he shouldn't have been fucking. Regardless, due to what I would term stupidity, he got involved and if anyone found out, he would have a hard time explaining just why he was involved.

He meets an interesting (albeit too weird for me to have ever spent my time with) stranger, Lester (Vince Vaughn). This stranger involves him in further deaths, as he is a serial killer.

In comes FBI Agent Shelby (Janeane Garafolo) who has been following Lester over the trail of eight murdered women. Through circumstances not quite beyond his control, Clay becomes Agent Shelby's chief suspect.

Lester, surprisingly intelligent, remarkably weird and strangely rude, feels he is being a friend to Clay by killing Amanda, the only person who knows Clay is involved in the other deaths. Clay doesn't much like Lester's favor and wants to come clean but can't because before Amanda died, she told Lester all about Clay and the two dead people.

Nevertheless, things get a little too hot for Clay, Clay sings to the FBI and then Lester, cornered, has to react.

I won't say much more because I don't want to spoil it. There aren't a lot of twists and turns here, not ones that you don't see coming. The film does move along interestingly, though, and it is important to pay attention.

One reason Clay Pigeons doesn''t work in the same way Blood Simple and Red Rock West did is because Clay is so damn dumb. He finds himself in these horrible situations, yet he doesn't immediately go to the sheriff (a man who, throughout the film, proves he quite likes Clay and furthermore, trusts him). Regardless of Clay, the character's, stupidity, Phoenix goes out of his way to do him justice. Phoenix makes Clay likeable, even respectable, though he can't make you understand why he does some of the things he does.

Another reason Clay Pigeons doesn't work is Vince Vaughn. Although humorous, I didn't buy him as a sick, serial killer. He was trying too hard to be psycho, even inventing this idiotic laugh that sounded less psychotic than some actor wanting to sound psychotic.

The final reason that Clay Pigeons doesn't work is that it doesn't build its suspense enough to make you reel with the anticipation of what is going to happen next.

Regardless of these reasons, I would recommend Clay Pigeons as more than a decent evening's rental. In fact, it was very enjoyable. First, the ending is surprising. Second, Janeane Garafolo is fantastic as Agent Shelby. Third, the photography is splendid - beautiful scenery and some surreal moments make the movie just plain interesting to watch. Third, Phoenix is wonderful as Clay...it is actually fun to watch him make something of the flawed writing of this character. I was pleasantly surprised at his talent and look forward to future projects of his. Fourth, often the movie is very funny. And finally, despite its problems, the movie gets you in the beginning and is interesting through to the end. I was remarkably tired when my friend and I sat down to watch the movie, but within a few minutes, was revived and attentive and managed to stay that way through the entire film.

So, I'd say, it is definitely worth the price of a rental.

Lovell Mahan-Moutaw
CineScene 2000