Payback
Seasoned criminal Porter is double crossed by his wife and best friend out of $70k, and left for dead.
He returns, months later wanting his money back, and discovers that it has been given to The Syndicate/The Outfit.
Direction
Dark, gritty and ultra violent at times – I really enjoyed this almost noir like world in which the characters live. While made in 1999 (my favourite year of film) the timeline is quite indescribable – as technology has more of a 1970s/1980s look and feel to it (such as rotary phones and the apartment decor etc). The book the movie is set on was set in 1963, so the set designers obviously took stock of this and applied their aesthetic.
It is paired well with the love story of Porter and Rosie, the ‘lady of the night’ he once ‘Drove for’, and developed a relationship with.
I liked the use of some of the camera angles utilised, such as the Dutch angle, and early on when Porter has been shot the angle is flipped almost 90° with an ultra close up of Porters face.
Cast/Characters
Mel Gibson is perfectly cast as Porter (just Porter), who is out to get his money back. He is a great anti hero, and adds a deeper cadence to his voice to add to the noir like feel.
Maria Bello is well cast as the more mature prostitute, Rosie who was once Porter’s girlfriend – and the only one he can trust having come back from the dead.
Gregg Henry and Debora Kara Unger play Porter’s one time friend, and wife respectively who double cross him, and are top of his revenge list.
Screen legends William Devane, Kris Kristoffersen (RIP), and an un-billed James Coburn (RIP), play the big bosses of The Outfit/The Syndicate – who also come into Porter’s one man war – as they have his money in their business.
Lucy Liu has a small and fun role in what was one of her earliest films.
Screenplay/Setting/Themes
Porter’s constant narration, makes it feel like a pulp noir like detective story – and I really like it as it didn’t add exposition , but merely was Porter’s inner monologue or thoughts.
The dialogue and some moments (what good are you? scene) were very darkly comedic, and Porter’s constant misnaming The Outfit/Syndicate is an inside joke of big mob bosses from the eastern/western coasts of USA
The shift in antagonists almost halfway through the film was done well, and Porter’s ‘one man war’ on the trio of ‘big bads’ is brutal, especially when they take him hostage too. This can be a bit hard to watch (and listen to, with the ‘this little piggy’ scene)
Score/Soundtrack
There is a sweet score at times, especially during the Porter/Rosie scenes – and has a fun undertone during some of the ‘Payback’ moments too.
Overall
It had been a little while since I had seen this prior to watching for this review, and I still think it holds up over 25 years later. Rather violent at times, so not for the faint hearted.
A big recommend from me.
4/5
If you’re able to, please “buy me a coffee”